


Star's Journey: The Moonstone Fragment

by Freida_Right



Category: Rowan of Rin - Emily Rodda
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-01
Updated: 2016-02-29
Packaged: 2018-05-24 01:41:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 80,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6136942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freida_Right/pseuds/Freida_Right
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>-part II of V- Six months have passed since Star and her friends left Rin, on a mission to rescue her mother from the Zebak lands. All this time later, they have involved themselves in a secret revolution that may mean freedom from their shared enemy, the Dragon Lord. But in order to succeed in this new mission, Star and Forley must learn a magic unlike any they have ever known...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Story Thus Far

The story thus far…

13-year-old Star of Rin once lived a normal life, though she has always known without a doubt that she is destined to do great things in time. Her father, Rowan, was once an unlikely keeper of the bukshah; he is now a famous hero, and the Titan of Earth—one of four keepers of deep, Dragon borne magic. Her mother, Zeel, was once captain of the Traveler forerunners, and a lost child of their people's feared and ancient enemy, the Zebak. Star is their only child, and a brilliant writer. She has tasked herself with writing down the adventures her parents shared as children, and hopes to write of their land's great histories.

While Star was away on a trip to Maris, ten Zebak warriors appeared in the village under cover of night, and abducted her mother on the orders of their vicious queen, Zadina—Titan of Fire, who is called Dragon Lord. In their haste, the warriors left behind their youngest member, a boy named Zan Garased. While under arrest, Zan offered the people what information he could, but could give them little comfort. He also spoke of his eldest brother, who had a plan, but could tell them no more about it.

Upon her return, Star was grieved to hear of what had happened, and desperate to rescue her mother. Through the power of the Earth sigil, her father's source of power, she came upon a prophecy that could help her. It spoke of freeing Zan from prison, and letting him lead her into the Zebak lands. But the people were shaken, and would not hear her. Her father, determined to keep her safe, left the Earth sigil in her care and ordered her to return home.

Instead, Star put the Earth sigil around her neck and followed the words of the prophecy. She freed Zan, and together they formed a plan to journey to Habaharan, the Zebak capital city, where her mother had been taken. Before they left, they were suddenly joined by Star's three cousins, who refused to let her go without them. Alanis is the daughter of Strong John, and hopes to be a great leader one day. Forley and Leah are the children of Allun and Marlie—Star's godparents—and have been her constant companions since she a baby. Zan was less than pleased to be in their company; but Star has never known life without them, and gladly let them come with her.

With Fate on their side, the five companions made their way across the Silver Sea on the back of Unos, a working grach who had been taken from the Zebak lands years before, in other tales. Star and Forley were able to disguise themselves, and fit in easily among the people of Habaharan; Alanis and Leah were forced to remain hidden while Zan led them through the city, to the house he shared with his two brothers.

On their way, they encountered a wicked general named Zared Azan, the master of the Garased family, who was surprised and nearly disappointed to see Zan alive. He found the boy's reappearance strange, but seemed to believe the story Zan had to tell him. The general went on his way, leaving them alone; but Star knows it will be far from the last time they will meet.

They also crossed paths with a ragged thief child, who managed to steal the Earth sigil. Star was able to follow her and take it back, though having the precious medallion of her people stolen so easily was a terrible shock. She had forgotten she was wearing it, and brought it with her by accident on her journey. Already, its mystical powers are beginning to change her, and she knows she must now guard it with all her strength. She has resolved to wear it always, and never let it out of her sight.

When they finally reached Zan's house, they were greeted by his eldest brother, Zamiel, who is captain of squadron C-57. This was the team tasked with abducting Star's mother, though it had pained them to do it. They have since freed Zeel from imprisonment and death, and have hidden her in a safe house somewhere in the city. Despite their pleas, Zamiel will not tell them where she is. He is also the leader of a hopeful rebellion to free all the Zebak from the Dragon Lord's tyranny, and guards all his knowledge with painstaking caution.

He has also informed the four children of Rin that there is no escape from Habaharan. The city is like a terrible trap—easy to enter, but nearly impossible to leave. They are now trapped in the Zebak city, with the rest of its people, with little chance of leaving anytime soon.

And so, for now, Star, Forley, Alanis, and Leah are in hiding, biding their time, hoping for a time when they, too, can go free.

Now, read on…


	2. Vivi and Zizi

_Chapter 2: Vivi and Zizi_

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Hours had passed, and things were winding down at the bakery. The morning crowd had nearly cleared them out. Ofelia had become fretful and anxious as their stock had dwindled, as it always did; and she had almost had a panic attack when a few items ran out completely. But they had only been out of those items for five minutes when Forley came to save the day, bringing out fresh trays straight from the oven. It had been a near thing, but Forley had timed his work down to a science. He brought something new from the kitchen every 15 minutes, like clockwork.

He had taken like a bird to the sky to their hiding place. He was the son of a very famous baker, after all, and had been learning the business since he was old enough to walk. Ofelia had been troubled over having to hide them, until she had learned that one of her charges could be of great help in her own bakery. She had always been better at managing customers and money than she was at actually making the bread she sold; and her father, who had once been called the best baker in Southside, was growing old and tired. Forley had turned out to be a blessing they had been praying for.

Star knew nothing of buying and selling and business. Her skills were mostly with words, preferably written ones. Her father was a healer, and she had always seen him doing modest trade with his patients, but it was nothing like what her cousins and hostess did for a living. Ofelia and Forley sat down together every afternoon to count money, take inventory, and fill out detailed order forms for the following days; they skillfully worked within a tight budget, and adjusted prices to suit their needs. It was all a great deal to do with numbers and forms and balance sheets and market prices, which they seemed to confront every day like lion tamers.

Star had never had a head for such things. She helped mainly by assisting with customers, filling their orders and taking their money. She only had to deal with numbers by occasionally making change from the register. Even when the customers annoyed her by taking their time, or asking for the wrong items by mistake, or knocking over scalding hot pitchers of expensive _abrasha_ , it was an easy enough task for her. Honestly, it was little different from dealing with the people in Rin's marketplace.

Finally, the last of the morning crowd was filing out of the door. After the chaos of the last few hours, parts of the shop were a mess. Having a few minutes to herself, Star took up a broom and began to sweep the floor. As she did this, she went over her list of afternoon chores in her head.

 _I'll start another batch of_ abrasha _in a moment…. I'll make it a double batch today, and keep the second one chilled. Not everyone will want it hot in the middle of an afternoon like this. While that's brewing, I'll set up the tables and chairs in the other room; it's a nice enough day to set up a place or two on the sidewalk outside, I think. When all that is done, I'll go out with Forley to the market to deliver those order forms of his. I wonder if we'll need to get Unos and the wagon from the Garaseds today?_

It was all part of a routine that she had lived for months, day in and day out, and had become quite used to. There were rarely any interruptions or distractions. She could still do little to help run the business, but she knew that the small role she played was an advantage to her hosts. With the extra help around the bakery, Ofelia had the time to concentrate on her ledgers and purchasing as she liked to. Her elderly father had a chance to sit and rest whenever he needed to. What was more, they didn't have to spare wages on their unexpected employees. Because Star and Forley were also hiding there and forever indebted to Ofelia's kindness, they lived and worked for free.

Thanks to them, the small business was thriving as it never had before. Ofelia sometimes chuckled to herself over a time when she had taken a grave chance on them, and had been so anxious to have a parcel of Rinfolk hiding in her attic. She certainly couldn't complain about it now. She couldn't exactly be annoyed to have Leah there, either. Whenever the girl ventured down from the attic, she could never keep herself from dusting, scrubbing, and polishing anything she could find. The bakery had never been in better order, and Ofelia was very happy.

As she reflected on this, a pair of last-minute customers came through the door. Star knew the names and faces of the two girls well, because they were regulars who usually waited until the crowd had thinned before visiting. She also knew that they were sisters, even though they were strikingly different from one another. The older sister was Forley's age and very beautiful; but she was a vain and disagreeable young woman. The thick leather bracers sewn to her wrists marked her as a slave, but she didn't let that stop her from being haughty and snobbish to everyone she met. The younger sister was only recently 13 years old, slim and lanky, and rather plain in appearance; she was also soft spoken and much more pleasant to talk to.

Star greeted the two with a smile, as she always did. She also knew that Zared Azan, the cruel general who practically ran Southside, was their master. She had met the man many times, and knew they needed all the kindness they could get.

"You're a little late today," she said. "We were wondering what was keeping you. Is everything alright?"

The older sister grunted in disgust and shoved the younger further into the shop. "Someone decided to trip and twist her ankle," she snapped. "Now we are behind on everything because she insists on limping everywhere."

"I don't insist on it," the younger girl countered. "I'm going as fast as I can, and the last few blocks have been agony."

"Nobody cares, June," her sister drawled. "Just get that order together so we can go. We were supposed to be back ages ago, and it's entirely your fault. I hope you're pleased with yourself."

June didn't bother arguing, and began limping as quickly as she could toward the counter. Seeing that her sister was going out of her way to be of no help, Star hurried over to hand the broom to June.

"Lean on this. Maybe it will help."

"It does, thank you," June agreed, looking relieved. Using the broom as a crutch, she was already moving much faster.

In the kitchen, Star paced along a shelf of wooden crates, each one filled with an order and waiting to be picked up. Finding the one the sisters had come for, Star reached up and hoisted it down on her own. June clearly couldn't manage it, or even be of much help.

"I wish Tiba didn't have to be like that," the girl sighed, leaning tiredly against the counter. "I really am doing the best I can today, and she knows it. She'll see to it that I'm not given any slack, either. My ankle isn't going to heal for weeks this way, if it heals properly at all."

It was awful to see June so reigned to that fate. She was in pain, and anxious about the days to come, but she knew there was nothing she could do about it. She had simply accepted that this was how her life was now, and setting herself to muddle through it. Star would have liked to march back into the shop and smack Tiba as sharply as she could. Instead, she stalled for time by pretending to look over the items in the crate. June deserved to rest for a moment, and Star had something important to say to her.

"Why is she like that in the first place?" she asked, frowning.

"Because she has cast her lot completely with our master, and wants to please him," June answered disapprovingly. "He is cruel to us, and so she copies him because she knows that will impress him. It's definitely worked; he named her head of house not long ago. She has fallen in love with him, and thinks he returns the feeling. I believe she hopes he will marry her someday."

"That is absurd," Star scoffed. "He is only using her foolishness against her."

"I know. We all do, but we know better by now than to speak reasonably to her. Our mother was the only one who dared to try it, and Tiba nearly had her beaten for it. Our own mother, Mahna! By the stars, is nothing sacred anymore?"

Star sighed heavily, choosing her next words carefully.

"What if I said there might be a way to end this nonsense?"

"…What do you mean?"

Glancing at the kitchen door to make sure no one was watching, Star pulled a folded paper from her pocket and pressed it into June's hands.

"This message is for everyone," she whispered. "Cast off your crown and understand its meaning. Spread the word around, and tell everyone to do the same."

June stared at her in puzzlement, not understanding in the slightest. Star took advantage of the girl's hesitation to kneel and examine her bad ankle.

"I can fix this," she said. "Not perfectly, but enough. The rest should heal overnight, if I do this right."

She pressed her fingertips to June's ankle, gently enough to not hurt her too much. Then she closed her eyes and touched her other hand to the shape of the medallion under her dress.

_She is in pain, my friend—so much more pain than this. But I have all the power to ease this one discomfort, if you are willing. Please help me._

The medallion grew hot against her skin, pulsing with great energy. It tingled in her fingers and up her arm, flowing all the way through her body like a river until it poured out of her other hand. Only she could see a faint golden glow as that energy flowed into June and sank into her skin. In seconds, it was over, and the medallion cooled as suddenly as it had come to life.

Star felt the crash of energy she had come to expect, as her body suddenly returned to normal after being filled with deep magic. She felt tired, but less so than she had when she had begun practicing in secret. June was gazing down at her in astonishment, unable to believe what she had just seen, and flexing her foot in wonder.

"Why, it is like new!" she squeaked. "How did you do that?"

"I'll tell you another time," Star replied, standing up and giving the girl a smile. "If you do as the message says, perhaps I will tell you then."

"Oh, Mahna, I can't repay you for this."

"Then don't. Call it a gift."

Beyond relieved, June nodded quickly and stuffed the paper into her pocket. Able now to carry the crate, she picked it up and walked with ease back into the shop.

Tiba was still waiting impatiently for them, tapping her foot in annoyance. When they came in, she glared at Star.

"Those loaves had better be fresh, Mahna," she snapped. "You gave us a stale one last time, I think."

"That is unheard of," Star answered evenly. "Everything in the crate came out of the oven less than half an hour ago, as you always like it. It's all there, as usual: enough bread to feed your household for the next two days, a pitcher of _abrasha_ for your master, and an iced cake for you."

 _And nothing for June, as far as_ you _know_ , she added to herself, sneaking her hand under the counter for an extra cake.

Tiba sniffed and flicked her finger against the pitcher on the counter. "It wasn't from _this_ batch, I hope," she said crossly. "I've already helped myself to it, and it is cold and stale. My master doesn't deserve to drink swill like this."

"That one is supposed to be cold," Star replied sharply. "The one I gave you is as fresh as the rest of your order. Besides, you will have to reheat it anyway. Don't be so mean, Tiba."

Tiba narrowed her eyes. "Do not tell me what to do, shop rat. I'll have my master throw you in the dungeons before you can blink. He listens well to me, you know."

"Yes, of course," Star sighed, nodding politely. "I beg your pardon."

Tiba snorted at her, and then turned on her heel without another word. While her back was turned, Star slipped the extra cake into June's hand. Delighted, June hid the cake in her pocket and darted after her sister.

"You had better not slow me down," Tiba growled at her. "And don't you dare drop that crate."

"I think I can manage it," June answered tartly. Tiba frowned slightly at her sister's change in attitude, but then rolled her eyes, clearly dismissing it. She slammed the door shut behind them, sending the little bell above it clattering loudly.

Star heaved a deep sigh and leaned back against the counter. That was finally over. She never minded seeing June, who was a nice girl and easy to chat with, but Tiba was a perfectly horrid person. She fancied herself to be well-liked and very popular, because her station was impressive for a common house slave. In reality, nearly everyone in Southside loathed her. Turning on her own people the way her master had was a bitter betrayal, and many people wished her ill.

"I should head upstairs," she decided. "Everyone else will have already started eating without me. They must be wondering where I am."

She went and locked the shop door safely behind her, setting a sign in the window saying that they had closed for the midday meal. Satisfied that the day's excitement had mostly passed, she headed for the stairs with her belly grumbling.

In the upstairs common room, her family and friends had gathered as she had expected; as she had also suspected, most of them were already seated around the low table in the middle of the room, serving themselves from steaming trays.

"There you are, at last," Leah greeted, taking a plate and filling it for her. "What took you so long? Lunch is getting cold, here."

"Just a few last minute customers," Star answered, sitting beside her on the floor and taking the plate. "You know me, always happy to help."

"Well, it was too much to wait on you, as you can see," Forley said unhelpfully, shoveling steamed rice and black beans into his mouth, and continuing with his mouth full. "It's been a long morning. Ofelia and I missed having a proper breakfast, and we are absolutely starved!"

"Yes, I can see that," Star agreed, rolling her eyes and reaching for a bottle of spicy chili sauce. It was a staple in every home, and Ofelia had once added it right into all the meals she prepared without thinking twice about it. However, Forley, Alanis, and Leah didn't have the stomach for it; chilies were unknown in Rin, and the three of them were unused to the flavor or the heat. It never failed to send them all scrambling desperately for water, and Leah insisted that it burned her like fire. Star couldn't see how they could hate it so much. She had found that she loved chilies, and she added them to all her food.

After eating in happy silence for a few minutes, they all heard the back door to the shop open and swing shut, and the sound of footsteps heading up the stairs.

"Ah, that will be Zan, I think," Forley commented. "He did say he would be back later, after a few hours' sleep. He will be in a much better mood than he was this morning, too. He and Zaneth looked terrible when we saw them."

Everyone else murmured in agreement, most of them generally pleased to see him. Star grumbled to herself and shook her head, not really pleased at all to see him today. She had rescued Zan from the jailhouse in Rin, and offered to take him home in exchange for helping her into the city. Though he had decided to trust her, he had been dry and sarcastic the whole time. Star had thought then that it was only because of his circumstances; he had been captured by people he feared, held as a prisoner and awaiting certain death. Star had known that she would have been in a bad mood, too.

That bad mood had proven to be how Zan really was at most times. She knew he still trusted her, and usually even liked her, because she went out of her way to be nice to him anyway. He reminded her faintly of certain people from her village; and so she knew that all he needed was a little kindness. And at any rate, she and her cousins were now living with his brother's beloved, and they saw each other all the time. Star and Zan were friendly now; but it was sometimes unclear to her if they were quite friends yet.

But he had been disagreeable lately, and prone to arguing with her over the nature of deep magic. She had learned quickly that he put little faith in it, and hardly believed that it existed at all. This offended Star, who knew more than most that of course deep magic was real. What had begun as simple discussions had turned into quarreling, as neither was willing to be moved by the other. And every time they met recently, Zan came equipped with a lecture from books he had read, which he believed disproved her "Lairad nonsense" perfectly.

Now he was coming up the stairs to share a meal with them, and it would certainly be the same thing all over again. Star was already furious, and had nothing new to counter him with. Deep magic was ancient, and set in stone; there hadn't been anything new to write of it in thousands of years. But there were new philosophers pondering the universe every day, writing meditations on how deep magic wasn't real—or worse in Star's mind, obsolete. The Zebak seemed to believe more and more that if deep magic had ever existed in the first place, it couldn't be much compared to what living people could accomplish.

Zan certainly agreed with them. The very idea was enough to make Star's blood boil with anger. It also made her wonder very much, because surely the queen knew better. The queen was the Titan of Fire. Her great power was only possible through deep magic. How could she allow these theories to take root in her people? Without deep magic, what did she even have?

Zan finally marched into the room, distracting Star from her thoughts. As if to make her even angrier, he had carried a small book with him to quote out of.

"Sorry I'm late, everyone," he said in his dry way. "The good general decided to pay a visit right before I left."

Ofelia was worried at once. "What for?" she demanded.

"Oh, for absolutely nothing," Zan answered as he joined them on the floor. "He just wanted to let my brothers know what a fantastic job they do on watch, and that I'll never compare to either of them. You know, the usual."

Even though Star was already angry with him, her heart softened a bit. General Azan was also in command of the brothers' Night Watch squad, and owned them personally; and for some reason, he always went out of his way to be cruel to Zan. Why he should do such a thing was a mystery to everyone, and Star was sure that this was the cause of Zan's perpetual bad mood.

"Can't we open a window?" Zan asked Ofelia. "I can hardly breathe in here."

"With all these people sitting in the open?" she answered, sounding shocked that he would suggested such a thing.

"He does have a point," Leah commented, taking off her spectacles to brush at her sticky face. "It's so stuffy in here, I was thinking the same thing. Alanis and I can sit out of the way of the window; no one looking in would know we were here."

Alanis grunted in agreement from her favorite corner of the room. After all this time, she was still defensive and rarely joined them at the table for meals. And she was already well out of the way. Ofelia looked between the two of them, and sighed in defeat.

"If we are all caught, I'm blaming you for everything," she warned them, and got up to open the window. Leah took her plate and went to sit with Alanis in the corner. As soon as the window opened, a breeze blew into the room and stirred the still air back to life. It was a refreshing change, and they all breathed in the fresh air with relief.

"That is better," Star sighed. "We've held out for as long as we could; but I think we will bake ourselves alive if we carry on like this. Thank you, Zan."

He looked up at her in confusion. "I thought you were mad at me again."

"And I am, in fact; but not so mad that I don't know a good idea when I see one."

Zan glanced down at his book, tapping in thoughtfully, and then slipped it under the table. "I still have plenty I want to say to you, myself. But it can wait, I guess. At least until I've had something to eat."

It was hard to tell on his face or in his words, but that show of compassion had cheered him greatly. Star was silently grateful that she had been the cause of that change. It was a shame to her that Zan didn't smile much; he had a handsome face and a brilliant smile, but he was usually scowling, instead. The next of their many fights had been postponed, though, and Star decided that this would suffice for now.

"So," he said to her as he filled a plate, "have you passed that note along yet?"

"I just did, not very long ago. You know June and Tiba Barsa, right?"

"How could I not? Tiba is a plague. You didn't give the note to her, did you?"

"Of course not! I gave it to June."

"Why June? She's a goofy-looking shrimp."

"Well, yes… But that's why I gave it to her. If that's how little you think of her, the good general will never give her a second glance. And _someone_ has to get the message to his household. June will understand the message, and she will take care of it. Just trust me on this."

To this, all that Zan could do was shrug. "Alright, then. If you think June is the right person for this, then I guess she really is. And I shouldn't speak of her like that. She's a pretty sharp kid—she has to be, with a sister like hers."

"And she won't be so goofy-looking for much longer," Ofelia interrupted, bending to clear away the empty trays. "In a few more years, she will be beautiful. We can't all be born gorgeous, like our guests, or myself."

As she carried the trays downstairs, they all had to laugh. Even Zan couldn't hide a smile of his own. In her corner, Alanis scoffed sharply and rolled her eyes.

"That woman is so full of herself," she grumbled.

"Alanis, she was only teasing," Leah retorted. "Why do you have to be like that?"

"Oh, _finally_ , she's gone!"

The unexpected, chirping voice made all of them jump in alarm. Out of nowhere, a little girl appeared in the window, and hopped up onto the sill. She crouched there and grinned at them like a devil from a story.

"Hello, there," she sang.

Every one of them leaped to their feet, shouting in fear, their minds whirling for what to do next. The child had clearly seen Alanis and Leah; there was no way to hide them now. For lack of words, Forley muttered a curse, and the girl clicked her tongue at him.

"Mind your language," she scolded, wagging her finger at him. "There's a baby here!" In response, another pair of curious eyes peeked over the window ledge, and a small hand waved cautiously at them.

Ofelia had been halfway down the stairs, but came hurrying back to see what was going on. Seeing the two children in the open window, she shrieked and dropped the trays she had been carrying. Metal clattered and porcelain shattered on the floor, making everyone wince.

"Aw," sighed the little girl. "That stuff looked valuable, too…"

Now angry as well as alarmed, Ofelia snatched up a nearby broom and darted toward the window. Seeing her danger, the girl squeaked in surprise and launched herself up toward the ceiling. She caught hold of one of the beams there and swung herself up and over to perch on top of it, high out of reach. Ofelia tried swatting her with the broom, but it was no use. Pleased with her skills, the girl began cackling in triumph, as Ofelia tried and failed to reach her. She even hung upside down from the beam and stuck her tongue out at them, only to pull herself back to safety when Ofelia swung the broom at her again.

Ofelia stomped her foot in furry and shook her fist. "Get off my ceiling, girl!" she roared.

The second child stuck his head into the window at last, looking worried.

"You better do as she say, Vivi," he stammered, pointing at Ofelia. "She—she's got a broom!"

Star snapped her head around to look hard at the little boy. Something about his words was familiar to her. Looking at him, she found that his face was familiar, too. His round little face was illegally unmarked. She looked back up at the girl in the rafters, and finally realized who had invaded the bakery.

"Wait a minute," Star barked at the girl, "I know you! You're the brat who stole my necklace!"

Still looking pleased with herself, the girl grinned down at her. "Oh, you _did_ remember. I was hoping you might. It's Mahna, isn't it? Or is it Star? It's hard to keep track with you people, sometimes."

There was dead silence. These two children clearly knew more than they should, and Star wasn't sure how she should answer. Shielding her with his arm, Forley glared at the girl and shook his head.

"We don't know what you're talking about, kid," he insisted.

"Of course I do," the girl said boredly, hanging upside down from the beam again. "I'm not stupid, you know. We've been watching you; we have for a while, now. Sure, you can fool the guards, but lots of people do that every day. You couldn't fool us, though!"

Ignoring their shocked faces, the girl did another flip and landed with a thump on top of the table.

"Well, this started poorly for us, so let's try it again," she said decidedly, waving and flashing a more pleasant smile over the crowd. "Hi. I'm Vivi. The kid crawling through the window is my cute little brother, Zizi. Say hello, Zizi."

The boy had scrambled unnoticed over the sill and landed in a heap on the floor, and rubbed his head as he also smiled and waved. He mumbled a greeting, but was obviously shy and wasn't going to speak up.

Vivi gazed around at them and planted her fists on her hips. "No, really, you can all relax now," she said, jerking her thumb at Alanis and Leah. "Oh, we've known about them for months. We're not tattling on anyone, I swear it."

"Then why did you come here?" Forley demanded.

"Cause I worked it all out, just this morning," she answered, leaning forward until they were nose to nose. "Besides, we're not here to talk to you or them, or anyone else. Just _her_."

Vivi was now looking meaningfully at Star, who was looking back without understanding. "Why me?" she asked, gripping the shape of the medallion and backing away a bit. "You're not still after this, are you? You'll never have it."

"Psh, keep the thing," Vivi said with a grimace. "I remember what happened last time. No thanks!"

"Then what do I have that you want?"

"Oh, nothing. As it happens, we have something that _you_ want. So, you're all from the west, and you came here looking for a lady named Zeel, am I right? You've come to find her and take her home. Oh, please, don't look at me like that. Tell me I'm wrong."

Star, Forley, and Zan exchanged a puzzled look, unable to believe this child had figured it all out on her own.

"She's not wrong," Leah commented slowly. "That is the whole reason we came and got ourselves trapped here."

"Good! I thought so," Vivi said happily. "Well, I've got some great news for all of you—we know her! We can tell you right now where she is!"

The declaration pierced Star like a dart. But what was this impish little girl's true intent? It was most likely that she was just one part of someone else's clever trap; it seemed impossible that she could have done all this thinking on her own. On the other hand, if she was telling the truth…

She looked up at Forley, searching for an answer in his face. He looked as conflicted as she was. He, too, wanted to believe her; but he had too much to risk being deceived, like she did. Zan was shaking his head, unwilling to give the girl an inch.

"Why should we believe you?" he asked. "Star says you robbed her—I remember the time well, and I remember your smug little face."

"Yeah, _and_?" Vivi drawled, shrugging and rolling her eyes. "That was months ago! It has nothing to even do with this. Now come on, Star, do you want to see your mama again or not?"

Vivi was watching her expectantly, awaiting an answer. Unable to find an answer for herself, Star gripped the shape of the medallion harder.

_What do you think, my friend? Is she telling the truth? Can she be trusted?_

Immediately, she was overwhelmed by a feeling of calm. Deep in her heart, she knew without a doubt that this filthy pair of children truly did mean to help her. In fact, perhaps they had been sent to her for just that purpose. There was no reason to hesitate or distrust them any longer.

No one else knew this, of course. Zan and Forley were staring watchfully at the girl, still suspicious that she planned to betray them. Ofelia suddenly looked less angry and more nervous, and her golden eyes were darting to and fro, filled with questions. Alanis and Leah were looking toward the open window, terrified of who else might be watching and listening; but Leah was also watching Zizi with concern and curiosity.

Whatever they felt or thought about it, Star knew better than to throw this chance away. Forley seemed to sense this, because he glanced down at her and gripped her wrist before she could speak.

"This is folly," he told her tightly, shaking his head. "The child is lying to you. Ten to one, she just wants another shot at the medallion."

Encouraged by this, Ofelia stepped forward and shoved her finger into Vivi's chest. "And if you know so much, you will know that our Zan is of Central Control. Give us one good reason why he shouldn't drag you to his commander right this minute."

Vivi's hands flew up in surrender, and she made a face. "Whoa, now, lady. What did we ever do to you? We're trying to help you! Anyway, you already know right where Zeel is. We see you there all the time. If you were Star's friend, you would have told her ages ago. Guess that makes me nicer than you now, huh?"

Everyone's gaze shifted from Vivi to Ofelia. The woman was plainly mortified, and so was Star. She had known all along that Zamiel knew where her mother was, but she hadn't known that anyone else held that knowledge. Zan and Zaneth hadn't even known it.

She supposed that she understood, a little—her appearance had already complicated Zamiel's great plans for a revolution, and her reunion with her mother would have only complicated things even more. He had taken pains to keep them apart, until he could be sure they would be safe together. But learning now that Ofelia, her hostess and friend, had kept her so blind for so long hurt her terribly.

"Star, don't listen to her," Alanis hissed from the corner. "She's tricking you, for sure! The Zebak are nothing if not cunning, and her plan is clearly working. Don't let her deceive you."

Zan was still blinking in surprise at Ofelia, but he nodded curtly at that. "I don't normally make it my way to agree with your bear of a cousin, but she's right. So is Ofelia; and if these two are who I think they are, their capture is long overdue."

Hearing this, Zizi began whimpering fearfully, and looked like he might begin to cry. Unable to help her good nature, Leah crept to the window and knelt to gather the boy into her lap.

"Now, now, little one, don't cry," she said soothingly. "I believe you, and I think Star does, too. I can see it from looking at the back of her head. She has a way of knowing the truth when she hears it."

It was her way of cleverly reminding her companions that Star had the Earth Sigil, and could use its power, without telling their unexpected guests. Most of them had to pause and consider this, and Star felt reassured. At least one person agreed with her.

"Leah, stop that," Alanis demanded. "You'll get attached to it that way. Of course the girl is lying! You would have to be blind not to know it."

Leah waved those words away without looking at her. "I'm half blind in the first place. Besides, just look at these two. This one is a quiet little fellow, and his sister has quite a mouth on her, but they don't seem to be lying. If they are, they play their part with great confidence for such young children."

"I don't like it," Ofelia said sharply. "Let Zan turn them in and collect a bounty for it. It will serve them right for spying on us and then telling lies."

Clearly, Ofelia just wanted the brother and sister out of her house, before they could reveal Zeel's location. To anyone else in the city, her reasoning was just. Children were taken off the streets and handed over to Central Control for money every day; it was a way of life she had always known, and thought nothing of. To Star, it was horrifying that she could be so cold. She was already angry with Ofelia for deceiving her. Seeing the woman trying to cover up her mistake like this filled Star's heart with loathing.

Ignoring everyone else, she stepped forward and faced Vivi squarely.

"I've decided to trust you," she said slowly, causing the child to grin in triumph.

"That's a very wise decision," Vivi agreed.

"You really do know where my mother is, then. Tell me! We've been searching for months."

"Yeah, no kidding," Vivi giggled. "Well, then, I guess there's a lot of explaining to do, huh? Do you have any cake around here?"

"Um…"

"'Cause I can't explain much on an empty belly. I'm starving, and so's Zizi."

Star looked imploringly at Forley. "Get her something to eat, please."

He shook his head. "This isn't a good idea."

"Forley, _please_ ," she begged, clasping her hands in desperation. "Trust me."

Seeing that her mind was made up and couldn't be changed, he sighed heavily and marched toward the stairs, muttering to himself.

"We're all going to regret this…"


	3. The Power of Two

_Chapter 3: The Power of Two_

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Forley quickly returned with a plate of the previous day's cakes, because he was unwilling to waste fresh goods on the thieves who had invaded his hiding place. Luckily, the two children were just glad to have cake at all; if they noticed that the treats were slightly stale, they didn't comment on it. Vivi ravenously crammed cake after cake into her mouth, not caring a speck about the mess she was making. On the floor beside her, Zizi nibbled at his cakes slowly, humming with delight and enjoying every bite. He had even bothered to say thank you to Forley, because his sister's mouth remained too full to speak.

"Perhaps we were slightly mistaken," Forley said slowly as he watched the two eating. "Perhaps they aren't lying to fool us, but rather to just steal our food."

Vivi snorted at him and mumbled a protest, but couldn't be understood with her mouth full.

"Nuh-uh," Zizi squeaked for her, just as offended. "She doesn't lie! We—she tells the truth. All the time. My big sis doesn't tell lies!"

"That's good for her," Forley said, looking down at him, "but what about you? Are you the one who lies, then?"

Zizi became shy again, ducking his head and fidgeting a bit. "No," he mumbled. "I just—I'm little, so I—I don't talk. Not much. I don't—I don't talk good. But Vivi's—she's good at that, so she—she talks a lot."

Forley rolled his eyes and laughed without humor. "Isn't that the truth."

Leah pushed her brother away from the two, clicking her tongue. "Stop frightening him," she scolded. "You're making him nervous, and it won't help us." She turned her attention on Zizi, and gave him a genuine smile. "Well, whatever he has to say, I think you are charming," she told him, ruffling his hair and making him giggle.

Now that Star could see Zizi properly, she finally noticed the color of his eyes. Most Zebak had eye colors that were unheard of in the west—like Zan's violet, Ofelia's gold, and her mother's pale blue. She had also seen folk with eyes of orange, pale green, and even silver. But she had never seen eyes quite like Zizi's. His were vibrant red, like glowing coals. She understood it was a rare thing to find, and many considered it an omen of greatness.

However filthy he was, or how poorly he felt about his stammering, Star suddenly felt that Zizi would prove to be far more interesting than he appeared.

A while passed in silence, while they waited for Vivi to eat her fill. After she had stuffed half the cakes into her mouth, she pushed the plate toward her brother and swallowed loudly.

"Wow, those are good," she said in a sticky voice. "Way better than what we get out of the garbage. I'm stuffed silly!"

"Good," Star said anxiously, sitting across from her. "Now tell me about my mother. Where is she? Is she well?"

"Oh, she's very well," Vivi answered. "What's more, she's hardly far away. She's been living with that nice healer lady, Thora. You know, the one with the big old house with all the rooms in it?"

Zan was stunned, and slammed his fists on the table. "You mean Bhlai House?" he demanded. "Why, that's only five blocks over! I could walk there in less than ten minutes!"

Vivi shrugged. "That's not my fault. I guess I'm just better at finding things than you are."

Zan glared at her. "If you knew of this all along, why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"I didn't know it was Zeel yet," Vivi answered plainly, picking crumbs off the table. "I only figured that part out last night. She's got a mark now, and she's been using a fake name, just like your friends here. I mean, I knew all along that it was a fake name. I just didn't know what her real one was."

"And you just happened to guess it? How?"

Vivi took her time licking her fingers before answering vaguely, "'Cause she reads t o us."

Zizi animated suddenly and nodded his head. "Yeah, she does. All the time. But Thora took—she took the book away, 'cause—'cause she says its bad for her. It makes her—it makes her sad, I think she said."

Star drummed her fingers on the table. "What book?"

"That _Rowan_ book everyone's always talking about," Vivi answered. "We don't read, so she reads it for us."

Zizi pouted and crossed his arms. "The Great Serpent was coming, too," he grumbled. "Rowan was gonna—he was gonna make the potion and—and save his mama. I know it! And now—now I don't know what happens next…"

"Sure you do," Vivi said brightly, playfully punching her brother's shoulder. "You just said what was going to happen next." She turned back to Star and gave her that devilish grin she made so well. "Zeel says you were the one who wrote it. Is that true?"

Star shrugged. "It is. I spent months working on it. I'm… I'm glad you're enjoying it."

"I _love_ it," Vivi agreed, resting her hands on the back of her head. "And all the stuff in it is true, too?"

"Every word of it. I worked hard to make sure of that. Almost all of it is written word for word."

"Yup, I thought so. That's how I figured it all out. See, you mama always had this weird way of speaking and I knew she wasn't from here. I wondered for a long time where she might have come from. And then she started reading to us, and I recognized stuff. And then she read us the second story, and she read it _so_ well. She had to stop reading once so she could cry for a minute, you know."

Star furrowed her brow. "Mum, crying? She always did get emotional when reading that story, but… That hardly seems like her."

Leah knelt to place a hand on her shoulder. "Discovering the book here must have been a shock," she suggested. "And she's been stuck here for so long, just like us. Reliving those memories must be difficult for her."

Star bowed her head. "I always knew she would end up reading it. It's become a sensation. Everyone has read it, so it was inevitable. I just never thought it would cause her so much pain."

"Nah, it's not your fault," Vivi dismissed. "If I had a baby that big in my belly, I'd be shaky, too."

Star snapped her head up at once. "What?"

Vivi and Zizi's faces lit up, and she began to clap her hands in excitement. "Ooh, we didn't tell you, did we?" she squealed. "You're mama's having a baby soon! Isn't it great?"

"No, it's not!" Star exclaimed, nearly jumping to her feet in alarm. "How has this happened?"

"I dunno," Vivi shrugged, looking confused. "She came that way. She said she did."

"Who is the father of this child?" Star demanded.

"Um… Yours….?"

Star stared back at the girl with her mouth wide open, unsure of what to say, or she was feeling most strongly.

"Do you even know who my father is?" she asked.

"Sure I do, it's…. Um… No one from around here?"

"Well, obviously."

"Meh, it doesn't matter," Vivi decided. "The point is, your mama is fine. Thora's taking real good care of her. Honest, she is. No stairs, no standing near fire, lots of tea and bacon—you know, pregnant lady stuff."

"We see her cry sometimes," Zizi added quietly. "She say—she says she can't help it anymore. It happens and it—that's okay. She says don't—don't be scared. So don't be—don't be scared, okay, Star?"

It was hard not to be scared. Thinking of her mother being alone and stranded in Habaharan was terrible enough. Thinking of her carrying a child in that loneliness made it even worse. Star had to press her hands together to keep them from shaking.

Seeing her distress, Vivi tilted her head to one side and made a very serious face.

"So, that's what she's been up to," the girl said slowly. "Gosh, I thought you'd be happier than this. What's the matter with you?"

"It's just so sad to think of," Star mumbled back. "We've only been ten minutes away from each other the whole time, and now… I don't know what to say."

Vivi reached across the table and snatched Star's hand in her own.

"Say you'll come with us to see her. We told her this morning we knew where you were, and I promised to bring you. She's at Bhlai House right now, waiting for you."

In spite of the turmoil in her heart, Star felt a pang of joyful hope shoot through her. "She's waiting for me?"

"She sure is. So what do you say? Will you come with us?"

"Yes, I will," Star agreed, springing to her feet. "Let's go, right now!"

"Wait just a minute," Forley interrupted, clamping his hand on her shoulder. "I don't care how you feel about these two, but I still don't trust them. You're not going anywhere with them alone. I won't allow it."

"I agree," Zan said solidly, coming to stand beside her. "That's why I've decided to go with you."

The two looked at him in puzzlement, and Star raised her eyebrow.

" _You_ want to go with me?" she asked. "But I thought—"

"That's ridiculous," Forley burst out. "Of course _I_ am going with her. I always have, and I always will. Who will keep her out of trouble, otherwise?"

"You don't think I can keep her out of trouble?"

"That's not what I said, Zan."

"And what if these two really have laid a clever trap for us? You don't know the way to Bhlai House. What if they lead you in the opposite direction? You wouldn't know the difference. And if they do double cross us, I have all the authority to put an end to it."

Forley glanced between Zan and Star, disliking the idea very much. He had never let her go quite so far beyond his reach before, and it was plain that it was bothering him. However, it was hard to argue with Zan's logic, as it usually was. Reluctantly, he released Star's shoulder and stepped away.

"Not that I need help staying out of trouble," she sighed. "I'm 14 years old now. I can take care of myself."

"Perhaps, but being broken up like this bothers me," Forley pointed out. "We've never been apart. Four quarters of a whole, remember?"

"That is true, I suppose. But mum and papa accomplished much on their own, so Zan and I will do the same. Earth and Fire do combine, after all. We will be fine."

Forley nodded vaguely, unsatisfied. Zan groaned, annoyed by talk of the elements, and grabbed Star by the arm to haul her away as quickly as he could.

"Enough of this nonsense, let's just go already," he grumbled. Star narrowed her eyes at him and bit back a sharp reply. She had important work to do. She couldn't waste time or energy on bickering right now.

Vivi and Zizi hopped up and hurried after them, until the little boy was suddenly stopped and dragged back abruptly. He looked up and found himself cowering under Alanis' stony gaze, as she gripped him by the collar of his ragged shirt.

"This one is staying right here," she growled. Zizi seemed to shrink in terror. Vivi turned back around and stomped her foot in anger.

"What are you doing?" the girl demanded. "Let my brother go! Now!"

"We'll be keeping him with us, where we can keep an eye on him," Alanis informed her coldly. "To ensure that you will return with my cousin alive and whole. If you want _him_ back, you'll have to bring _her_ back. And if you don't, you can look for your brother in the dungeons, is it perfectly clear?"

Zizi shrieked in fright and began to cry. "Vivi, Vivi, no!" he sobbed. "Don't—don't leave me here alone with her! Vivi, come back! Don't leave me!"

In a flash, Leah had swooped down and snatched Zizi out of Alanis' grip and backed away from him, holding him close and trying to soothe him.

"Don't worry," she insisted, "you won't go to the dungeons, I promise. Of course your sister will be back for you. There's no need to cry. Alanis is just mad that she can't do anything useful right now."

Zizi sniffled loudly and buried his face in Leah's shirt, clinging to her for safety. Already, it seemed that she had taken rather strongly to the little boy, and that he had taken to her, as well. Vivi looked relieved about this, but she left Alanis with a glare.

"Don't let her touch my little brother again," Vivi commanded, not taking her eyes off Alanis. "Let me know if she does when I get back, so I can beat her up."

Alanis scoffed at her in disgust and stormed away to the attic stairs. She paused to look over her shoulder at Star, and shook her head. "Good luck," she said grimly. "You'll need it, the way you carry on."

Once she was gone, Zizi calmed down considerably, and Leah set him back on his feet; but he remained close to her, gripping her skirt for comfort and gazing up at her in awed thanks. Vivi left him a loving pat on his head.

"I think this nice lady's going to look after you while I'm gone," she told him. "Now you behave yourself for her, okay? I think she's alright to trust."

Zizi nodded wordlessly and smiled for his sister, who smiled back.

"Great! I'm glad that's settled. It's good that I have someone to look after you, too. I think those two are going to be a handful," she said, jerking her head at Zan and Star. Zizi giggled, cheered by his sister's teasing. Zan and Star exchanged a look, not cheered at all.

Finally, Vivi tore herself away from her brother and trotted toward the stairs, beckoning the two teenagers to follow her.

"Come on, you two, we can't wait all day," she caroled, umping onto the railing and sliding all the way down with ease, laughing all the way. Zan and Star had to dash down the steps after her, and still didn't beat her to the bottom.

Ofelia was in the kitchen, preparing to open the bakery again. When she saw the trio heading for the backdoor, she frowned at the sight of them.

"So, you're going to follow this girl?" she asked grimly.

Star still had nothing particularly nice to say to the golden eyed woman, so she set her face firmly and nodded in agreement. Ofelia sighed in defeat and shook her head in despair.

"Oh, you crazy children. You'll get us all killed this way," she lamented, continuing in her native language. "But fine, go if you must. But if you are caught, I don't know you."

"That's fine," Star said simply, and followed Vivi out the backdoor with Zan right behind her.

"Oh, isn't this exciting?" Vivi said to them. "We're on an adventure together! Just like in the book! This will be so much fun!"

Star wasn't sure if _fun_ was the right word. Exciting, perhaps, but fun? That was doubtful.

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Zan knew where he was going, but Vivi had insisted on leading them. She seemed to feel awfully important, running this errand. What was more, she was very strong willed and bossy for a child. Unwilling to battle her over it, Zan had resigned himself to following her, as she very proudly guided them through the streets.

"Aren't you worried someone will notice you and call you out?" he asked her. "I doubt if you have a mirror to look at yourself in, but you rather stand out."

"Nah, it's alright. I'm famous," she informed him.

Sharing Zan's puzzlement, Star peered at her curiously. "You are literally dripping with jewels and precious metals, which you've clearly stolen. How do you dare walk around in broad daylight this way?"

"'Cause I can get away, I guess," Vivi answered simply. "There isn't a guard in Habaharan that can catch me."

"No, I suppose not," Zan grumbled. "If there was, that lucky person would have caught you long ago."

Vivi grinned at him. "Look on the bright side: you're the closest anyone's come. You're first place! How does it feel?"

Zan gave her a very rigid smile. "It feels like a hollow victory."

"I don't know what that means, but I like the sound of it," she answered with a wink.

Zan rolled his eyes, confounded by the girl's unshakable cheeriness. Star tried to hide her amusement by giving him a sincere smile.

"Hey, thank you for coming with me," she said. "It's a nice change of company. You know how I can never get away from my cousins."

Instead of replying pleasantly, Zan snorted. "You're lucky I did. At the mention of all your elemental nonsense, I nearly changed my mind."

Star frowned at him. "Not this again. You do this every single day. Why can't you just let it be?"

"Because you are wrong, and I don't want that kind of talk anywhere near me. You sound like a superstitious lunatic from the slums when you talk that way."

"Excuse me?" she nearly thundered back. "I'm not the one who is wrong here!"

"Hey, hey, wait a minute," Vivi interrupted, stopping and waving to get their attention. She looked concerned at first, but then her face lit up with interest. "What elemental stuff? What are you talking about?"

Zan scoffed and brushed past her. "She is convinced that there is such a thing as magic. I've tried many times to explain that such things aren't real, but she refuses to hear me."

Star also scoffed as she and Vivi fell in behind him. "It _is_ real. I've seen it."

"Yes, yes, and so have I," he drawled. "Cheap tricks learned out of books, preformed for fools who will believe anything. Conjurers, magicians—what's the difference? It's all just a show."

"I don't mean sorcery and parlor tricks, Zan. I've explained this to you many times. Of course _those_ things aren't magic. I'm talking about real, living, deep magic here. You can't just explain that away!"

"Certainly you can," he countered. "Clever people make wonders for foolish people, and the next thing you know, you have a Titan, and a dragon no one but that Titan has ever seen. The people have something to believe in, and are happy. It's science, Mahna. Simple, factual science. There's nothing fantastic about that."

"First of all, science _is_ fantastic. The way our world works is beautiful and amazing, and saying there is nothing fantastic about that is terrible. Second of all, science isn't the same as magic."

"But magic is the same as science, is it? Yes, you've said this numerous times. That's a rather easy point in your favor, don't you think?"

Vivi made that serious, thoughtful face again as she listened to them arguing. "I don't get it," she said to Zan. "Why don't you believe in magic?"

He looked down at her and raised his eyebrow. "Do you?"

"I don't know. I'm just curious, and I'm trying to understand you."

Zan held his head up proudly and squared his shoulders. "Magic doesn't matter in this world," he explained. "Not when mankind is capable of so much. And even if there ever was such a thing, what use to do have for it now? We have canons, and ships, and armies. What good is magic, compared to that? The notion is obsolete."

Vivi considered this for a moment, then looked up at Star. "What's that mean?" she asked.

"That means, he believes that magic isn't as useful or important as anything he can do himself," Star supplied angrily. "Which is an insult, because there isn't much he is allowed to do at all."

"That isn't true," Zan snapped back. "In time, I believe man will be able to soar through the sky, navigate the deepest oceans, and cross the widest plains in short hours, rather than days. That will be the work of people, and I plan to be one of them. Magic can't do that. If it were so great, it would have done all those things long ago."

Again, Vivi considered this, and then she glanced across the street. She pointed to the other side of the street at a group of gray-clad guards walking in the other direction, two of whom had glowing gems strapped to their hands.

"What about magicites?" she asked. "Those seem pretty magical to me."

"Of course they do. You don't understand them, because you're just a dirty little orphan."

"I am not," Vivi protested. "If you know so much, tell how they work."

Zan hesitated. "I'm ashamed to admit, I'm not quite sure how they work," he confessed, sheepishly rubbing his neck. "But it is a great deal to do with kinetic energies, being manipulated with precise actions and careful practice. Science, which can be found in many books, and explained by the people who craft them."

Vivi looked impossibly confused, not understanding most of what he had said. Star tapped the girl's shoulder to get her attention.

"He's the one who doesn't understand them, you see," Star said triumphantly. "Magicites are magic. Each one is infused with a different elemental energy, and has all the abilities of that element. An Earth stone can heal and cause plants to grow rapidly, for example."

"Ah. That's what I thought," Vivi agreed, nodding her head. "I've seen guards using their magicites before. It sure doesn't look like human power to me."

"Of course it's human power," Zan snapped. "Human beings made them, and control them. Come along, Vivi, you can't tell me that you really believe in such nonsense."

"I don't know," she answered. "I don't understand it, because I'm just a dirty little orphan, remember? Besides, I think I've felt magic before. I'm not positive, of course, but I'm willing to believe it."

"Oh, right. You've felt magic, have you?"

"Yes, in that necklace I stole. I don't know how she did it," Vivi said, jerking her thumb at Star, "but she used it to attack me. It knocked me out on my face, and I had a headache or hours."

Star smirked down at her. "Were there words?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah. I'd almost forgotten. _Give and take, it's all the same. And now, at last, you'll learn your name_. I have no idea what _that's_ supposed to mean. I know what my name is—it's Vivi!"

She peered up at Star, searching her upper body for a glimpse of she medallion.

"It rhymes, doesn't it," she commented.

"Yes, I suppose it does," Star agreed.

Vivi continued to stare at her, as another clue had dawned on her, but she couldn't figure out what it meant. As far as she had heard from the book, the medallion hadn't made an appearance; she and Zizi hadn't heard the fourth adventure yet. But the sharp little girl knew enough to remember that Rowan the hero was always surrounded by cryptic rhymes, much like the one she had been given. She had made the connection, all on her own, and didn't quite realize it.

"Well, anyway," Vivi continued after a moment, "I guess magic could be real. It's a possibility."

Zan shook his head. "Even if it ever did exist, we have no need for it now," he said solidly. "In that unlikely case, it has faded away into nothingness by now."

"How do you know that?" Vivi asked. "It's not like you can see magic. You don't know if it's faded."

"That's how I know it's faded. If it were as alive as our foolish friend claims, everyone could see and feel it."

"What about the air? You can't see that, and you know it's there."

"Air is a real thing. We can breathe it, and smell it, and feel it on our faces. Now, if an ancient, powerful, magical Dragon flew out of the sky and spoke to us, perhaps I would think differently. But that will never happen, because such things do not exist. Do you understand now?"

"No, I don't think so," Vivi answered, shaking her head. "I mean, I've never seen a Dragon; but I've never _not_ seen a Dragon, either, so I guess it could happen someday."

Zan stared at her in astonishment. "That is the most absurd thing I've heard in my life, and I'm friends with her," he said, pointing at Star over the girl's head.

"Hey, you don't know everything," Vivi countered. "None of us do. I don't think we even know what we don't even know. We're only people, after all; but Dragons are supposed to live forever. If they are real, I bet we could learn a lot from them."

"How can you sound so certain?"

"I like to be hopeful. I mean, just imagine it! Whole Dragons, with scales and fire, and magic. It's an exciting idea, don't you think? They must be wonderful."

Star nodded thoughtfully, agreeing completely. "I bet they are."

Vivi looked up at her again, and lowered her voice. "You came from over there," she said. "Did you ever see the Dragon of the mountain? What was it like?"

"No, I've never been up the mountain," she answered in a whisper. "But…. My father has been. Twice. He's seen the Dragon before."

Vivi's pale eyes grew wide, and she gasped softly. Seeing that the girl understood, Star winked at her, and held her finger to her lips, warning her not to get too excited until they were indoors again. Vivi grinned and grinned, struggling to contain herself. She managed not to shout in delight, but she did skip the rest of the way.

While Vivi was occupied with her discovery, Star and Zan glared at each other.

"Why are you so determined to hurt me?" she demanded. "Deep magic is my whole life, you know. It's my father's life, and my mother's. It's in my blood, and it's in yours, too."

"You only think it is," he answered evenly. "Your father's people don't know any better, that is all."

"Oh, and yours do?"

"Well, we _are_ the ones with ships and canons and walls of solid steel. Meanwhile, the western people defend themselves with iron swords and wooden spears, counting on marvels that don't exist to fight their battles."

"Yes, because the last time _our_ people attempted to invade, it went so well. There were tales of fire falling from the sky, and a monster appearing from the mountain, weren't there? How do you explain that?"

"I wouldn't know. I wasn't born yet, and the few who retreated from that venture were put to death for their cowardice. No one remains to explain it properly."

"Ah. How convenient. Mum will be so proud to hear that."

"Say what you like, Mahna. Believe that magic and stars and dumb beasts rule your destiny, but don't say that they rule mine. My life isn't even my own—it belongs to General Azan, and her majesty. If only I were free, I would be in charge of my own destiny, all by myself. There isn't a star in the sky that can order me around."

"Everyone has a little magic in them. Some are just less magical than others. And if the legends are true—which I know they are—you full of it. All our people are. You are just too afraid to see it."

Hating to be called a coward, Zan narrowed his eyes at her and turned away, remaining silent. It seemed that their fight had ended for the moment. He normally refused to let her have the last word; but behind his scowl, he looked hurt.

"Just a moment ago, you called me your friend," she pointed out. "And friends don't wound each other like this. Why do we keep doing this to each other?"

"Because you are thick-headed and impossible to reason with," he answered, keeping his faze pinned on the streets ahead.

Star couldn't help smirking at him. "Only as much so as you are. We always come to this impasse. Zan, I know this argument means much to both of us, but why not just agree to disagree on it? It's clear to me that we will never see eye to eye here, and continuing to fight like this will only keep us apart. We need each other."

He glanced at her sideways, then huffed to himself and looked away again. "I doubt that is a promise not to bring it up again, but I will abide it. If I'm honest, having to find a new counter for your every day is exhausting. You have no idea how much reading I've been doing lately, when I'd rather be sleeping, or spending time with my brothers in peace, or learning of things I really care about. It's been educational, I suppose, but I've grown sick of it."

Seeing a new topic, Star seized the chance to cheer him up. "What would you rather be studying, then?" she asked, finding herself genuinely interested.

Surprised by her sudden pleasantness, Zan relaxed a bit and looked back up at her. "What I said about man being able to soar through the sky is true," he answered. "There has been talk at Central of vessels that could do it for many years. Like our naval ships, but airborne. Several designs have come and gone without much success, but I think it's possible. I have a few ideas about it, myself. I used to spend my free time studying anything I could find on the subject, and I find it fascinating. And then… You and your talk of magic put it aside."

"It really does bother you, doesn't it? Why is that?"

"I wonder the same thing, myself, sometimes," he answered honestly. "There is a lot I don't understand about our world, and I've seen many strange things for myself, but the thought of a star controlling me somehow is troublesome. Stars are so distant, and science says they are nothing more than balls of gas burning in the sky. It puzzles me. Enough people tell me what to do every day. How can you tell me that something so nebulous has that right, too?"

"Oh," she said, looking away as her cheeks began to burn. "I hadn't thought of it like that. I can understand that, though, at least a little. There were times back home when I felt the same."

"So why do you still believe it?"

"When your family is as interesting as mine, it's hard not to."

There was a pause between them, and Star sensed that if she didn't change the topic quickly, they might end up fighting again.

"You'll have to tell me more about your ideas later," she suggested. "I'm sure they are all good ones."

"I've never shared my ideas with anyone before. They would only laugh at me for having great plans of my own, when my place in this world is already set in stone. I doubt they will ever be seen by anyone who matters. No one would care."

"I would care. I can't put them into action, but I would care."

Slowly, Zan let a small smile come over his face. "Then I suppose I'll have to show you, sometime. It will be pleasant to see my notes and poor sketches appreciated by someone."

He glanced up as Vivi bounded off ahead of them without warning. Seeing where she was headed, Zan pointed at a turn that lay before them.

"This is the place," he said. "Bhlai House is down this street, among the larger, nicer houses. It has a large sign over the door, and another planted in the hedges. You can't miss it."

His words were simple and informative, but Star knew that he was encouraging her. He was trying to cheer her, as thanks for cheering him. He gripped her wrist and pulled her along a little faster, before they completely lost sight of Vivi.

"It's not at all far ahead, now," he said over his shoulder. "Another minute or two, and we will have reached our destination."

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_Afterthoughts…_

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A shorter update, after a rather long one. I like that.

And it is a remarkably short chapter, considering how much you have just learned of Zan. For all that it includes explaining and fighting and character development, it came together in a day, too! Heck, it came together before I even had a chance to post chapter 2. I'd say it's been a success.

Magicites will be explained in better detail soon. I know I've mentioned them vaguely in the past, and you may or may not see what they are supposed to be. But basically, they are what Star says they are—precious stones infused with magic which, when strapped to your wrist, will pretty much blow up whatever your mind thinks of. Like mini-talismans. Sadly, Central mainly uses them the way Gray Guards use blisters, and lots of their soldiers have and use them with abandon.

(Hint: this may have something do with why this installment is titled, _The Moonstone Fragment._ ;D)


	4. Bhlai House

_Chapter 4: Bhlai House_

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Vivi was still skipping up the street ahead of them, leaving Star little chance to look around properly. Once they had turned onto the street of their destination, she noticed enough to see that this neighborhood was much better off than most places in Southside. All the houses were larger and grander here, many of them having steps leading up to their front doors, and neatly trimmed hedges and flowerbeds contained behind low fences. Their stone walls were all painted in muted, dignified colors, and all their many windows were clean and sparkling. It was a startling change from the shabbiness Star was used to, just a few paces behind her.

"I haven't been to Bhlai House in a while," Zan commented as he hurried her along. "I used to hang around the place all the time, when I was small. Thora and Simon were good friends of our parents; and so when they died, the brother and sister took us in and looked after us. Oh, I should have suspected that Thora might offer to help my brother with all his plans. But I haven't seen her in so long, I never thought of it."

"You must be excited to see her again," Star suggested. "It will be a reunion for all of us."

"I hope we can afford to stay a while," he said with a rare smile. "She will be amazed to see how tall I've grown; she always is, even if I haven't grown an inch. And she will like you, I think. She must be looking forward to meeting you. Your mother has probably told her all about you, by now."

Her mother. In all their bickering and excitement to reach Bhlai House, Star had partially forgotten why they were going there in the first place. She quickened her step, until she was nearly pulling Zan along behind her, instead.

Not far ahead, Vivi had finally stopped to hover on the stoop of a large house without steps, waiting for them. As Zan had said, there was a sign over the door with a symbol of a crossed shield branded into it—the easily recognized symbol of all Zebak healers. As he had also said, there was another painted sign standing in the hedges by the door.

_Thora Bhlai, certified healer and apothecary_ , it read. _Ails and ills treated with care, at a price that is fair._

"She seems to like rhymes as much as I do," Star noted, unable to help smiling at the sign. Just from reading the simple inscription, she felt that she immediately knew all she needed to about the mistress of the house.

"Normally, she is far more practical," Zan said with a shrug. "But the rhyme is catchy, and everyone remembers it well. She is the best healer in Southside, which is how she afforded to have this house built."

Once they had joined Vivi on the front step, the girl nodded in satisfaction. Then she turned and knocked rhythmically on the door, stepping back and waiting for it to be answered. At once, they heard the sound of steps hurrying toward the door. In seconds, it was flung open by an old woman, frowning in concern.

Seeing who was at the door, the woman's face relaxed.

"Finally, you've returned," she sighed in relief, beckoning them quickly inside. "Wherever have you been? We expected you back an hour ago! We've been worried sick! And where on earth is Zizi?"

"They gave us more trouble than I thought they would," Vivi answered. "Zizi's still with them, but he's fine. Anyway, I brought Star with me, and this guy, too."

Star pushed the girl out of her way, impatient to get the woman's attention. "My mother," she pleaded. "My mother is here, but where? Where is she?"

Before the woman could answer, a figure appeared in a nearby doorway and gasped in sharply. Star snapped her head around to look, and her heart filled nearly to bursting with joy.

There was her mother, tall and straight as always, with tears shining in her wide eyes. With a false mark and the clothes of her true people, some might not have recognized her at all, but Star knew her in an instant. She would have known her anywhere. There had been so much she had wanted to say, but all of it vanished from her mind. She ran forward and flung herself into her mother's arms at long last, as tears of her own began to fall.

"Now, now, my dear, don't cry," Zeel said in her sweet voice, trying in vain to dry both their faces. "You look beautiful, and your kohl is beginning to run."

"I don't care, mum," she sobbed. "I've missed you so much."

"I know. I've missed you, too."

For a long, blessed moment, Star was happy to let her mother hold her tightly, stroking her long hair and kissing her face with all her strength and love. It was the reunion she had been so painfully cheated of when she had first returned home. For a moment, something was right with the world, even if they fit awkwardly together. As Vivi had told her, she was certainly due a brother or sister in a few short months. It ought to have bothered her to see it, but she was simply too happy. She had finally found her mother, and that was all that mattered.

Zeel took her daughter's face in her hands and gazed at her in wonder. "But how have you even come here?" she asked. "How is it possible?"

Star sniffled and wiped her streaming eyes, then looked back over her shoulder. "Well, I had a lot of help."

Behind them, the woman Thora had distracted Zan and Vivi by pulling them aside and talking to them. She was commenting with pride on Zan's height, as he had guessed she might. He was looking bashful at the praise, and Vivi was giggling at how red his face had grown.

Somehow, her heart warmed even more. It was good to see Zan being cared for like this. It was good to know that someone could make him smile and blush at the same time like that. It was a feeling she had always felt he should know more than he did.

Thora looked over and saw that they suddenly had a little attention. Sensing that the day's most joyous moment had passed, she stepped forward with a smile and ushered the mother and daughter into the next room.

"We have much to discuss, I think," she said in a very serious voice. "Come, child, sit with us. Zan, Vivi, you come along, too. The tea has gone cold, I'm afraid, but perhaps that is best on a day like this."

She held out her hand to Star, who took and shook it gratefully.

"I should introduce myself," the woman said. "My name is Thora, and I am the lady of this house, though a child as clever as you has certainly worked that out already. I've heard great things of you, Star of Rin. It is a delight to finally meet you."

"It's a delight to meet you, too, ma'am," Star agreed. "You've kept my mother safe all this time. I can't thank you enough."

"There is no need for thanks, child. If you insist on thanking me, you can do it by sitting and enjoying a few treats. I prepared them especially for this meeting. Do not disappoint me."

Unable to deny her that much, Star did as she was told and took her place on the floor, beside the low table in the room's center. It was much like any other common room in the city, with the luxury of a few worn but plush chairs. But Star was more used to sitting on the floor by now, and felt it wrong to take a more comfortable seat from her mother or hostess. Zan and Vivi sat on either side of her, while the two women settled themselves into the chairs.

"There is someone else who ought to introduce himself," Thora commented as she poured tea for them all. "Zan, look up at the nice lady and tell her who you are."

So far, Zan had tactfully avoided looking right at Zeel, because he was embarrassed. She clearly didn't remember him from their one meeting, which had gone badly and been extremely brief. He had to force himself to make eye contact with her, and squared his shoulders bravely before holding out his hand to her.

"I'm Zan," he said plainly, as she leaned forward to shake his hand. "I should also thank you, for what Star has done for me in the past. I wouldn't be alive now if it weren't for her."

Zeel looked hard at him, and her face became puzzled until it became shocked again.

"Zan Garased?" she asked. "Not the boy I shoved into the closet that night? Oh, by all the stars in the sky, I am so very sorry! I only learned who you were when Thora explained it all later, and I spent days feeling awful about it. Hearing of your return was a happy thing, though I had wondered for a long time how you had managed it."

"I only managed it because Star has such a hard head. It was all her idea."

Zeel looked over at her daughter and smiled tiredly. "Ah, I might have known. You've always had ideas in that head of yours, but this… How did you even come up with it?"

Star hesitated before pulling the medallion from under her dress. She didn't have to explain herself—its very presence spoke for itself. Seeing it and knowing at once what it was, her mother's face grew pale.

"Why have you brought it here?" she whispered fearfully.

"It was an accident," Star answered lamely, staring thoughtfully at the medallion in her hand. "Papa had given it to me, and I conveniently forgot that I was wearing it. I'm sure now that destiny had a hand in that, but I know that doesn't excuse anything. I was careless, and I know it shouldn't be here. That hasn't stopped it from being useful, though."

Silently asking it for assistance, the Earth Sigil grew warn in her hand, and it pulsed with energy and light. It shone bright enough for everyone present to see as a river of golden light flowed serenely between her hands.

"You see? I can control it now," she explained. "Its abilities are stronger here, I think, and it's decided to answer me when I call it. I certainly didn't mean to bring it here, but I may be able to do some good with its power."

Zeel shook her head. "It belongs in Rin, with your father. Accident or not, you shouldn't have brought it here. If you are discovered, it will be lost for good."

Star felt her cheeks beginning to burn. She had been furious with her father when she had left on this adventure, and it had easy to feel indifferent about taking the sigil from him like this. However, as time had gone by, that anger had died away. Nowadays, whenever she thought of it, she felt terrible shame. It was a great help to have the sigil with her, but it was also the burden she had always imagined.

Sighing away her frustration, Zeel calmed herself and gripped her dress. "How was your father when you saw him?" she asked quietly.

Star shook her head. "Not good. No one really was. I've tried asking the sigil about it, but I fear it is too far away to see that much. I can't even reach the Keeper, though I have tried many times. I have no idea how anyone back home is doing."

Zeel wilted with disappointment. "That may be just as well," she said sadly, placing her hand on her belly. "He wouldn't like to see me this way. He hasn't even got a clue that he has another child on the way."

In spite of how somber they had all grown, Vivi nudged Star with her elbow. "See?" she said with a grin. "I guessed it."

After a moment, Zeel straightened herself and her face became very crisp, as if she were ready to scold someone. "Star, hand me a cup of tea, and then tell me something."

Star handed her mother one of the filled cups. Of course they had many questions for each other, but she wondered which one her mother had chosen.

"Vivi said this morning that Forley is with you, among others. Is this true?"

Star ducked her head a bit. "Alanis and Leah are here, too. They insisted on coming with us, and I didn't bother trying to talk them out of it. They never would have done such a thing."

Zeel's face darkened a bit, but she seemed unsurprised. "I also understand that you've been ten minutes away all this time, hiding in Ofelia's bakery."

"Yes, that is also true. Vivi said that Ofelia comes here often."

"She does. I usually see Zan's oldest brother, but he isn't always available."

Thora huffed to herself and sipped her tea. "They have gladly mentioned Zan on all their visits," she said sharply, "but they've made no mention of having guests of any sort. And it seems to me that they've taken care to keep Zan as far from my house as possible. His loss was painful to us all, and his reappearance was a blessing, but I haven't seen him once until just now."

"I had thought nothing of it, but many small things do make sense in my mind now," Zan agreed. "They haven't mentioned you having a guest, either."

Thora hummed to herself, tapping her teacup with her finger. "That Zamiel is a crafty young man, to be sure. He always has a plan of some kind. I don't always agree with his methods, especially not this one, but his reasoning is usually sound. He must have had a very good reason for hiding us so well from each other, though I wonder at what it could possibly be. It is extremely inconvenient for us all."

Vivi barked a laugh at this. "But he didn't plan on me being my brilliant, sneaky self," she said proudly. "Ha! He doesn't even know what's just happened! When he finds it out, I hope I'm there to see his face. I'm going to laugh and laugh and laugh!"

"With any luck, you will be nowhere nearby when he finds out," Zan told her firmly. "He's going to be furious that someone has ruined his plan again. This revolution of his is coming together slowly, but it is happening. If you people don't stop interfering, we'll all be caught and destroyed, and it will be entirely your fault."

"They won't catch me," Vivi informed him, tossing her head. "If the rest of you are caught, Zizi and I will skip away and start it back up again ourselves. We know people, you know."

Zan rolled his eyes in disbelief, and Thora clicked her tongue at him.

"Don't be so quick to judge," she told him. "These two are pests, to be sure, but they know more than you might suppose."

"Yes, we've seen that," Star agreed, glancing down at the girl beside her.

"I also understand that you've grown close to the Garased brothers," Zeel continued carefully. "Vivi said she sees you with them often. You must know much more about their revolution that I do. All these months later, Zamiel still refuses to let me in on his secrets. How is that coming along?"

"Slowly, but smoothly," Star answered. "You won't like this, mum, but Forley and I have gotten rather involved in it. It's been something productive to do, while we are trapped here. Alanis and Leah can't walk around the city, but the two of us can and do all the time."

"What sort of work does he have you doing?" her mother asked.

"Simple things that will keep us out of the worst trouble. Mainly, he has us delivering coded messages to the people, to help spread the word around. He has quite a talent with codes and puzzles, and so he has sent out a lot of news without it being discovered. He sent out a new one just this morning. It seems that he wants to call a meeting of some kind."

"A meeting?" Thora exclaimed. "This is indeed news to me. That will be a dangerous endeavor, too. What does he plan to discuss, and who does he expect to be there?"

"The rest of squad C-57, for starters. After that, I'm not sure. The message seems to ask for anyone interested enough to know more."

"His goal is to rally the entire city to arms, all at the same time," Zan added. "That will take a great deal of coordination and communication. My brother has to start somewhere. Choosing and training more leaders is a good place to start, and I agree with his idea for a meeting. It's too big a job for ten people alone."

Vivi's eyes grew wide. "I want to be there," she said. "I want to be a leader! I want to help! When is it?"

Zan sipped his tea. "That is for us to know, and for your to find out, if you are so good at finding things. You've been a great help, but you're still just a kid who robs people for a living."

"I want to do more, too, Vivi," Star said to the girl. "Forley and I have talked it over often, and we agree that our special talents are being wasted on running errands and passing out codes. We've asked Zamiel to involve us more, but he won't listen to us. It's his way of protecting us, and we can't blame him for that, but we wish he would change his mind. We'll just have to prove ourselves to him some other way."

"Yeah," Vivi agreed, looping her arm into Star's. "We'll prove it to him together!"

"No, no, I meant Forley and myself, not you. Zamiel doesn't even know who you are, or that you've foiled him so well. Once he does meet you, I doubt he will welcome you with open arms, either. If you only rob people in guard's uniforms, it's likely you are wearing something right now that you stole from him. He won't be thrilled that you've forced your way into his business."

Vivi looked indignant, and as if she were about to say something very sassy. She was interrupted by a knocking on the front door, and she became alert.

"Uh-oh," she whispered, jumping up and darting toward the other side of the room. "I can't be seen in here like this! I've got to hide!" Without excusing herself, she slipped through another door and into a different room, leaving the door slightly ajar so she could still hear what happened next.

Thora sighed and rose from her chair. "At least the child is practical on occasion," she murmured. "Typical in a badger spirit—tactful in a pinch, and a bit forceful for comfort, but she sets her watch to no one but her own self."

Zan shook his head as she went to answer the door. "Star is hardly different," he grumbled, "yet she claims to be a wasp, or something."

" _Bee_ ," Star corrected, frowning at him. "I'm a _bee_ spirit."

"Why is that? Because of your wings and stinger? You have a sharp tongue, certainly, but I've never seen you sting anyone before."

Star responded by poking her finger roughly into his chest. "Bzt. I stung you."

"Get out," he growled, narrowing his eyes.

Zeel had to cover her mouth with her hand to stifle a laugh, and then glanced the way Thora had gone. Looking that way, her expression became surprised, and her whole self seemed to change strangely. Star had never seen her mother look quite like that. With her eyes wide and her face blank, she looked almost timid.

Star wondered about this until Thora reappeared, leading a gray-clad guard with her.

"We have a visitor, friends," the woman informed them calmly, gesturing graciously to the man beside her. It was none other than Zared Azan, who seemed just as surprised to see them as they were to see him.

Seeing his master, Zan jumped up and stood at rigid attention. "General Azan," he greeted, as he always did.

The general fixed his spectacles, as if he couldn't believe his eyes. "Zan? I thought I had seen the last of you for today. Whatever are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I was just on an errand," Zan answered right away. "Zaneth was feeling poorly and complained of a headache, and so they sent me for medicine."

"Is that so?" the general said coolly, looking around the room. "It looks more to me that you were enjoying afternoon tea, wasting time at your brother's expense. Whatever were you discussing just now? The latest in women's fashion, I suppose?"

Zan cringed at the jab. Unwilling to let him stand alone like this, Star stood up beside him.

"It was our fault, sir, really it was," she insisted, trying to sound as unremarkable as she could. "We asked him to stay."

The general smirked unpleasantly at her, as he always did when they met. "Well, if it isn't Mahna the former fisherwoman. I didn't know you were familiar with Bhlai House. What brings you here on this fine summer's day, with cosmetics smeared over your fine face?"

Star brushed at her face, and found kohl smudged all over her fingers. When her mother had said that it was running, she had really meant it. Her mind whirled for an excuse.

"Ofelia sent me on an errand of my own," she said hesitantly. "You will forgive me, but I've been… emotional, recently. She said that Thora might have something to help."

The general grimaced and shook his head. "Say no more, girl, I've heard plenty," he said gruffly. "What a wonder you've chanced upon each other in the same place, at the same time. It seems to me that you spend more and more time with this girl and her lanky brother, Zan. How is that?"

"We live in the same neighborhood," Zan answered carefully. "I can be hard not to see each other." Star nodded eagerly beside him, but didn't dare speak without being spoken to first again. The general looked between them slowly, considering all they had said, and seemed to believe it. Still, there was a hint of suspicion behind his spectacles. There was no reason he could see why he shouldn't believe them; but perhaps something in his own heart sensed that something was amiss.

Thora must have noticed this too, because she cleared her throat loudly and gained the man's full attention. "You'll forgive me for detaining these young people, I hope," she said pleasantly. "The little lady is a new face to me, but she makes fine company; and I haven't seen my Zan in such a long time. Besides, they certainly do seem to be friendly. I am the one who asked them both to stay, not realizing that they had places to be just now."

Surprisingly, the general seemed to soften a bit, trying to appear personable. "Well, I suppose it wouldn't do for one of my own to deny an elder a few minutes' company," he said in a much more pleasant voice. "Forgive my gruffness, ma'am, I simply hadn't expected to find him here in the middle of the afternoon."

Thora bowed her head. "There is nothing to forgive, my lord. Misunderstandings happen every day. Now, Zan and Mahna, go stand by the kitchen door while I prepare the items you need. Oh, I know just where they are, and it will hardly take long. You'll be back home in due time. My lord, was there something you needed from me today?"

"Nothing that can be found in your stores, ma'am," he said coolly, his eyes sliding sideways. "I was in the neighborhood, and thought to pay our dear and good friend a visit."

So far, Zeel had sat quiet and rigid in her chair, watching him warily, as if hoping that the man wouldn't notice her if she remained still enough. Now the general was gazing at her in a way that made Star's skin crawl, and her mother looked shyly away. She seemed intimidated, though Star couldn't understand why. It was so unlike her.

"Miss Ferriene," he greeted, kneeling beside her chair. "It is always a great pleasure to see you. If I might say, you are looking positively radiant this afternoon."

"Oh. Thank you," Zeel answered quietly, in a voice that hardly sounded like her own.

"I do hope master Garased hasn't been tedious company for you."

"No, not at all, my lord. He speaks quite well of you."

Finally, Star understood what was going on. Her mother was playing a clever part for the general, and only pretending to be so docile. It was a brilliant ruse, too. Habaharan's commanders were still searching for her, on the lookout for a crafty and quick-witted woman, either unmarked or with lamp grease painted on her face, who stood apart from the rest. But the general had no clue that the object of his search was sitting right in front of him. As it was, he was flashing her a smile that was probably meant to be caring, but seemed very coy.

"Miss Ferriene, wherever is your charming daughter?" he asked.

Star's heart thumped at this, as her mother glanced toward the kitchen door.

"She is somewhere, to be sure," she answered, sounding fretful and unsure. "It can be hard to keep track of her, these days. We try, but…"

"I understand, miss," the general said sympathetically, reaching for her hand. "If only her father hadn't perished in that fire. What a burden it must be, for such a young child, and for you, as well."

There was no way for Zeel to avoid his touch, though she must have loathed it intensely. She offered him a tiny smile, but mostly remained vacant. Star hated seeing him touching her mother and looking at her that way. She hated even more that she couldn't do anything about it.

The kitchen door burst open without warning, making Star and Zan jump in alarm. Standing right beside it, the door nearly slammed right into them. Vivi had appeared in the doorway, all of her jewelry stripped off, looking far more ordinary than she had before.

"I'm home, mama," she announced with a flourish. Almost certainly she knew that Azan had been there all along, but her cheery face became startled, as if she hadn't known it at all and was shocked to see him.

"Lillian," Zeel exclaimed. "There you are, my dear. Wherever have you been all this time?"

Vivi began to fidget, holding her hands behind her back and becoming very shy. "Out," she mumbled. "With some friends. We were just playing."

The general stood up and came to hover over her, frowning in disapproval. "Now, now, child, you should know better than to worry your mother this way," he scolded. "She has enough to worry about, as it is. And what have you and these friends of yours been playing at all this time? Your clothes are a perfect wreck! You haven't been fighting, have you?"

Vivi glanced over her filthy shirt and ripped stockings, and pinned her eyes on the floor. "We were climbing trees and stuff. Honest, we were. I don't fight anybody. I hate fighting."

"And that is good. I trust that in the future, you will keep your playing on the ground, where it belongs. We wouldn't want such a good little girl getting herself into trouble, now would we?"

At the mention of trouble, Vivi looked up with wide, shining eyes. "No, we won't get into trouble, really we won't, I promise," she babbled.

Pleased with this, the general patted her on the head. "Very well, then. And I trust that you will take better care of your mother from now on. She needs you now, and your brother or sister will need you, also. You must be a bigger, stronger person, Lillian, and set a proper example for the child, do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir."

"There's a good girl. Now come to the table and have a bite to eat. You must be starving, after all that play."

Keeping her head down, Vivi crept back to the table and picked up a cookie. She began to nibble it slowly, pretending to have good manners. Star had to wonder if Zizi had inspired her own part in this charade. Azan watched her for a moment and then shook his head sadly.

"It is a pity, though, for the children to grow up without a father figure," he said slowly. "Miss Ferriene, surely you have thought of this."

Zeel cringed and looked away, as if she were about to cry. "No, I will never marry again," she said in a shaking voice. "It is what my love would have wanted."

"Oh, I have upset you," he commented. "Forgive me for that. I was far from my place."

She remained silent, because her character knew better than to agree with him and needed a moment to compose herself. "I do appreciate all that you do for us, sir," she said after a moment. "Thank you for looking after my daughter. You don't have to go out of your way to do so."

"But I insist on it. My duty is to this city and all its citizens. If I can keep one little girl out of trouble, I know I have done my job."

Star tried not to let her thoughts show on her face, but she was absolutely furious. Zared Azan was like all the city's generals—cold and cruel, delighting in the torment he caused the people. If he had been dealing with anyone else, he would have offered threats and insults. He was only being so caring because he was trying to woo her mother, and wanted to please her.

_But his patience won't last forever,_ Star thought suddenly. _He lets her have her way for now; but that may change after the baby is born, or even sooner. What will we do, then?_

This troubling new thought was pushed aside when Thora reappeared, carrying two glass jars in her hands.

"Ah, I see our Lillian has found you," the woman commented, surveying her guests. "You really ought to warn us before disappearing like this. I look forward to school starting again in the fall; it will be much easier to keep track of you, then."

Vivi looked up and grinned at her. Because she was on the floor and the general couldn't see her face, she dared to wink as well.

"No doubt, the coming fall will keep this little one well occupied," the man agreed, reaching into his pocket to look at his watch. "I'm glad that this is settled, then. I wish I could stay longer, but your home seems a bit crowded at the moment, Thora. I will perhaps pay another visit later this evening, if I have the time. Zan, you will spare the good woman a few more minutes, but I expect that you will be returning home with due haste. You offer your squad little in skill, I can't afford to have one of your brothers ill on watch."

"I understand, sir," Zan answered flatly.

The general nodded and put hiss watch away. "Well, there it is. I shouldn't wonder I shall see you people again soon. Very soon, miss. Farewell."

Thora smiled in her kind way and handed the jars to Star and Zan, then bustled him to the door. She went on smiling and waving as he left, and shut the door behind him. As soon as he was gone, she huffed indignantly and brushed at her skirts in distaste.

"By the stars, I cannot stand that man," she grumbled as she joined them again.

Zeel and Vivi had also abandoned their acting, and now they were scowling furiously. Zeel was rubbing her hand anxiously, perhaps wanting to scrub her skin clean. Vivi put her cookie down and swallowed her last mouthful with difficulty.

"He makes me sick," the girl agreed. "He comes around, and suddenly I'm not so hungry anymore. Yuck."

"This is quite a revelation," Zan said dryly. "He seems to like you, ma'am. I'm so sorry."

Zeel sighed in frustration. "I don't know why it has to be me. He could chase after any woman in the city. Why he should find me so extraordinary is a mystery. It is a terrible bother."

"Does my brother know of this?"

Zeel straightened herself proudly, much more herself. "I can keep a secret as well as he can, when it suits me. What is it he likes to say? That if no one person knows all the secrets, they can't tell all the secrets?"

Zan smiled ruefully. "Yes, it does go something like that."

"Being her kid was my idea," Vivi said helpfully. "I was around one day, and she needed a distraction, so I jumped in and helped her out. Now I do it all the time. It was a good idea, wasn't it?"

"Indeed, it was," Zeel agreed, smiling for her, but not really cheered. "I had hoped that having children would make me less desirable to that slug of a man, but it seems that it's only encouraged him. We have no idea what to do about it."

Zan made a thoughtful face. "Zamiel could come up with something, if we told him," he suggested. "We have a lot to tell him, in any case."

Thora hummed to herself, tapping her finger on her chin as she thought of something. "Speaking of that brother of yours, I think I have an idea. He won't like it, but I am going to talk it over with him anyway."

"What did you have in mind?" Zan asked.

"Well, I was thinking of the meeting, just a moment ago. I was also thinking of Star's pale friends, who will be stuck in Ofelia's stuffy attic all summer. I was also thinking of Star, herself, who has only just found her mother again and deserves to be with her, at last. I think I know a way to solve all these problems, and perhaps more that I haven't considered yet."

Suddenly, Zan looked very concerned. "Thora, no…"

"No, indeed, my mind is made up now," the woman said crisply. "The lot of them will just have to come to live here, in my house. Anyway, I've already made a habit of hiding the city's most wanted in plain sight; what's another four? Oh, I have all the room in the world for them; doubtless, they will quickly lose track of each other in all these rooms. And the mother and daughter will be together, and that is what really counts at the moment."

"How on earth do you think they will get all the way over here?" Zan asked.

"However they came into the city in the first place, I suspect," Thora answered carelessly. "We will have it done under cover of night, and tell passing guards that I am borrowing equipment from Ofelia, or some such story. I have noticed, this crowd seems quite good at clever stories. It will hardly be a feat for us."

Star was excited about the idea, too, but had her own doubts about it. "Forley and I work at the bakery," she pointed out. "Alanis and Leah will like the change, but we should stay, at least. It wouldn't make sense for us to leave the place; it would seem odd, wouldn't it?"

"There is no reason you can't walk back every morning, child, it's only ten minutes away; less, if you walk quickly. As I said, we will come up with a clever story together. I believe it will be the beginning of a sturdy friendship, don't you?"

Star and Zan exchanged a look, and he shrugged unhelpfully.

"She's as stubborn as the rest of you," he said. "I don't think you or any of your cousins have a choice now—it looks like all four of you are moving here, to Bhlai House. Soon. Perhaps before the week is out."

"I won't fight one person over that," Zeel commented, delighted at the idea. "If I'm perfectly honest, I've wondered many times if you were here somewhere. I'll be glad to see you all again. Oh, wait…. Thora, what about your brother?"

Thora peered at her with her eyebrow raised. "What about him?" she asked.

"You'll have a time explaining this to him. He still hasn't warmed to me, or the thieves; he will go mad when all these young people crowd into the house."

"Simon is already mad. If he hates it so much, then he can live in the basement. My mind is made up, and it can't be changed by anyone's whining. Star, you'd may as well hurry home and tell your family to start packing up. I'll tell Zamiel and Ofelia all about it the next time I see them; if they protest, it's nothing a whack over their heads won't resolve. I'd say they owe us a favor, after fooling us so well."

To this, the rest of them nodded in agreement. When Thora put it that way, her idea all the more exciting.

Star thought of how little she had seen of the house. She knew she had only seen a small part of it so far, and that there was plenty left to explore. There were three sprawling stories and many rooms—her cousins would revel in the space, after being all but trapped in that attic for six months. The thought of choosing one of those rooms for herself, and not having to share that space with anyone else, filled her with impatience.

She also thought of Zamiel's meeting, because Thora had mentioned it so specifically. Suddenly, she saw what the woman really meant to do. She loved Zamiel and his brothers dearly; but she was taking revenge on him by involving herself even further in his plans.

_He will know better than to fool her like this again_ , Star thought with a smirk. _Oh, Zamiel is going to hate this…_

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_Afterthoughts…_

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Central Control's top commanders really are idiots. I love that about them—so many opportunities for hilarity. XD

Zeel is clearly a good actress in the original books, so writing her at it again is great fun. She is _always_ great fun, no matter what she's doing. Laughing, crying, angsting—it matters not. She's just fantastic and made of magic. Period.

My one reservation is that Simon didn't make it into this chapter. He reminds me distinctly of Neel the potter, and I do mean to include him more from now on. He's such a curmudgeonly, "You wipper-snappers get off my lawn!" kind of old man. He also suffers from a number of physical ailments and, as Thora said in the last book, chooses to be bitter about it. He's such a butt… Not as much as Zared Azan, but a butt, nonetheless. :/

In the next chapter, we get the story of the first Air Titan! We also get a code in the next chapter—which _Deltora_ veterans will hopefully recognize. ;D


	5. Big Plans

So, I decided that Zizi should have a chapter to himself. And June, too, because she is charming. Emily Rodda sticks very well to single points of view, but I never have. There's too much going on when the hero isn't around. I _need_ the rest of the cast to be insightful, too.

Also, I have explained this in the Post Deltora Stress Syndrome forum, but the whole Lairad thing is basically an enormous metaphor for Jesus Christ. Because, and I quote, "…that's how Christian girl-gamers roll." Hence, all the Titan stories contain a lot of direct Biblical references and imagery, and the Dragons sound suspiciously like God whenever He is talking to prophets or other destined people. To see the whole explanation, go into our forum and check out the "Dragon, Titans, and The End of The Shadow Lord…?" thread. ;D

My point is, dragons are good for everything.

Further, I am very excited about the code featured in this chapter. I'm not good at them, myself, so this has been fun for me. All hail Doran the Dragonlover! 8D

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_Chapter 5: Big Plans_

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Meanwhile, at the bakery, Zizi was having the time of his life. Leah had, indeed, taken excellent care of him, as he had hoped she might. As soon as his sister was out of sight, she had insisted on scrubbing him from head to toe; it had seemed to her that he had never had a bath before in his life. And she was right, of course. Vivi was a good sister, and she took care of her brother in every way she could; but without parents to guide them, baths were the last thing on her mind.

And so Zizi had been fed, bathed, and held close for the first time that he could remember. Leah had even found their own perfect copy of _Rowan of Rin_ , and had continued the story for him where Zeel had been unable to. It was such a cozy feeling, being safe and cared for like this. Zizi felt that he could get used to it very easily.

Alanis remained brooding in the attic, and Zizi really didn't mind that. Her foul mood had frightened him, and he didn't want to see her again. Forley had tried for a while to stay upset and anxious, because he had no idea where Star was; but that hadn't lasted long, while his clever sister was telling favorite stories so well. He had finally abandoned his worrying, and come to join them. He and Leah had begun taking turns reading chapters, so that each one had a distinct voice and small differences. In what seemed like no time at all, they had finished that third adventure.

"Hooray! They did it! I knew they would!" Zizi cheered, clapping his hands. "Time for—for the next one! Let's read—let's read the next one!"

"I think it's time for a break," Leah said instead, gently closing the book. "In any case, Zeel may want to read you the next one, herself. It was an awfully important adventure, and she played a big role in it. She would want you to understand it from her own eyes."

"Aw," Zizi whined. "But this—it's so fun. I want another—I want another story, Leah. Please?"

"That is quite alright," Forley said lightly, pulling the boy into his lap. "Don't forget, our father is half-Traveler. He knows all the best stories, and he's taught all them to us."

Zizi gazed up at him in wonder. The brother and sister had already explained who their parents were, and it had filled his small heart with joy. Allun the baker was his favorite character in the stories. Learning that his new friends were the man's children was nothing short of magic. He still couldn't believe his luck.

"So, what story would you like to hear?" Leah asked.

"A good one. Make it—make it a good one. A really good one."

"Oh, but we know so many really good ones," Forley answered, thinking hard. " _The Valley of Gold_ comes to mind, of course. Star was kind enough to only include the most important parts of it in the book, so our small friend won't know the rest of it. And it is one the Travelers are known best for."

"It's also one of their scarier tales," Leah pointed out. "We've been having such a good time so far; let's not ruin that by giving the boy nightmares. Also, we know the _newer_ version of the story better now, and we can't spoil that for him. He hasn't gotten that far in the book yet."

"All of this is true," Forley agreed. "Oh, what to tell, what to tell…?"

"What about their Titan story?" his sister suggested. "It's as good as any other, and Star has written that one down, too. It's upstairs, in one of the notebooks she brought with her."

Zizi looked at her with wide eyes. "From the west?" he asked. "I wanna see!"

Leah nodded decidedly. "Titan story, it is, then," she said, and then stood up and went to the stairs. "I'll go get the notebook, then. I know right where it is."

"I could tell it from memory, probably better than she has written it," Forley called after her, with laughter in his voice. But his sister ignored him, and continued on her way. She returned short minutes later, with a lovingly used leather book in hand. She gave it to Zizi to look at, and he touched the soft cover with great care.

"It's beautiful."

"Yes, I suppose it is," Leah agreed. "Star never writes anything down unless she knows it is true. She works hard to make sure of that. And her writing is beautiful, too. She has a great deal of power, herself, you know."

Zizi opened the notebook to a random page in the middle, just to look at the letters and few sketches inside. He couldn't read the words, but he liked looking at how neatly they were written. It wasn't the work of a printing press, with precise spacing and design. All these words had been written by hand, with ink and a pen, so that the letters were occasionally smeared or crossed out and replaced. Even though he couldn't read, he thought those words were nice to look at.

"Turn more to the front," Forley told him. "The story we want is there."

"But I won't—I won't know it," Zizi said vaguely, though he did as he was told and flipped back to the front.

"That's alright, Leah and I will know it. Just a few more pages, and—there! There it is. You found it all by yourself, see?"

Zizi grinned at him, delighted that he had done something so big even though he couldn't read. He handed the book over to Forley, who took it and cleared his throat. He placed his finger to the page and traced the words as he read, so that Zizi could follow along.

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_The Crystal Pipe_

_In a time before time, the sky over a vast wilderness was ruled by the Dragon called Sarafeao, daughter of Sirius, lady of wild, jubilant Air. In the wilderness below her dwelt the tribes of a wandering folk, whose merry songs and blazing fires brought her great joy. The people knew and loved the land, as she did, and their ways were like her own. She took them into her Dragon heart, and vowed to watch over them for as long as they watched over her place in peace and happiness._

_But a time soon came when these wandering tribes grew arrogant and greedy, each one wanting to claim the wilderness for themselves. They turned on one another, abandoning their care for the land and warring over it instead. The Dragon felt terrible sorrow to see such a thing, and took on the form of a human to walk among them, seeking a tribe she might still find joy in._

_Of all these tribes, the Dragon found only one which still refused to fight over the wilderness. This gave the Dragon great hope, and she spoke earnestly to them, encouraging them, telling them to stand before their warring brothers and beg them to cease their fighting. But this one tribe felt no great feeling over the wars, and saw no way to be of any help because they were one, and their brothers were many. They calmly denied their help, not realizing that they were speaking to the Dragon who loved them._

_Sarafeao's mighty heart was broken by this, and she returned to the sky. There, she spent many years soaring above the clouds, where she would not see the wars of the people who had betrayed her._

_And so the long years passed, and the one uncaring tribe still refused to join the fighting; nor did they stand up and speak against it. In this way, they hoped to at least survive, until a day came where the wars ceased on their own. But that day never came, and the wars raged on._

_At last, a time came when this tribe was attacked, despite their best attempts to avoid the fighting. Far too late, they saw the error of their ways, and wished that they had been moved to boldness. As if in punishment for their disinterest, their whole tribe was destroyed, and only one person survived—a young girl called Harmana._

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"Mahna?" Zizi squeaked. "Like what—it's like what you call your cousin!"

"So it is," Forley agreed patiently. "It so happens that _mahna_ and _star_ mean the same thing. Sheba called her Mahna long before we thought to do so."

"Ooh," Zizi breathed, amazed. He hadn't thought that the old witch might have anything to do with any of his new friends. He found it just as exciting as everything else. Amused by his face, Forley gave him a smile and returned to the story.

"Anyway…"

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_The girl had escaped with her life and fled toward the distant hills, where forests melted into the distant mountains. But she had been injured in the attack, and her journey was slow and filled with terror. All the while she mourned for the loss of her tribe, and feared that their attackers would pursue her. There was terrible pain and bitterness in her heart as she ran for her life._

_After many days of difficult travel, Harmana found herself atop a high hill, and looked back the way she had come to see a sorry sight. Below her in the wilderness, she could clearly see the wars of the other tribes raging. The wind brought the sound of their own pain and fury to her ears, as well as what seemed to be a song. It was a song of despair for what had been lost, and what might never be found. The other tribes plainly did not hear it; but Harmana heard it well, and it whisked the anger from her heart. As she looked upon the other tribes of her people she was filled with pity, and a longing to be whole again, as they had been in days past._

_Doing as the wandering folk had not done in many years, Harmana listened to the wind, and to the land itself, and followed it signs to a place in the forests where she would be safe for a time. In a low valley near the mountains, she stopped and hid herself, and she wept with aching grief. Not only for those she had lost, but for all her people, who she might never have the chance to see again, who might never see one another and the land again, as she had. And so she remained there, healing her wounds, and wishing that she might be able to do something._

_But she was only one young person, and the warring tribes were many. What was she to do alone?_

_Time passed in that hidden valley, and Harmana soon found that she was no longer so alone. Other young people strayed slowly into that very place, many of them survivors as she was, some simply as tired of the fighting as she was. They, too, had followed the signs of the land, and had so found each other. In time, they grew to become a tribe of their own; and Harmana, the first of them to come to that place, became their leader. Together, they relearned the ways of their land, and the ways of each other. And because they had all come from different tribes with different ways, each of them had their own special skills and talents and stories to offer._

_Yet they did not return to their people—for though they wished to belong, it was clear to them that they never could. And so they abandoned their wandering way of life, and instead built a refuge in the valley, which they called Corona._

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"Wait—wait," Zizi stammered. "But, they were—they were Travelers. Travelers don't—they don't stay in one place. Not ever! _Rowan_ says it, and Star—you said she—she only writes true things! Why would they—they wouldn't ever do something like that."

Leah tapped his shoulder. "You have to wait until the end, but we will never get there if you keep interrupting. Just let him finish the tale."

Zizi nodded his head, feeling embarrassed. Still looking amused, Forley found his place again and continued with a smile.

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_Harmana was glad to have reunited her people in this way, even if it was only a small part of them. The tribe of Corona was a peaceful and happy one. They lit their fires, and sang and danced and told their tales long into the night, as their ancestors had. They listened to the land and tended to its needs, and knew that this was how they were meant to live. Still, Harmana wished to share this joy with all their people, even though she knew it was all but impossible. She was filled with boldness, as her former tribe had not been, and puzzled more and more over a way to speak out against the wars._

_One day, she wandered alone in the forests away from Corona, glad to forget that settled life for a time. It felt right to her, to wander without roots, and remember who she was. All at once, a cloud rolled over head, blotting out the sun, and a chill mist rose up around her. It was damp and so thick, it was as if she was walking within the cloud, itself. She marveled at this, and thought to return to her tribe before she became lost. But within the cloud was a song, and a feeling of great happiness, which eased her fear and almost begged her to stay._

_And out of the mist appeared a woman of unearthly, ageless beauty. Her skin was golden and radiant as the sun. Her silver hair flowed and billowed like a cloud. Her crystal eyes sparkled with laughter, and also with sorrow. Harmana was amazed, and was sure that she was dreaming. She had never seen such a person, so unlike her people, and yet so very like them, somehow._

" _Be at peace, Harmana," she said, her voice the very song that had guided her from the very beginning. "The songs of your people have risen to my ears, and the sight of their fires to my eyes, and it has warmed my heart. I am called Sarafeao, lady of the clouds, and I mean to help you."_

_Indeed, the land beneath Harmana's feet was ringing with joy, delighted to have its protector so near. She knew at once that she was not dreaming, but facing a true Dragon, the very mistress of element Air. Trembling with feeling, Harmana fell to her knees, weeping to feel real joy for the first time in her life._

" _The task before you is great," said the Dragon. "Greater than the joy and fear you are filled with. But you are filled also with passion and love, as those before you never were. That has been enough. It has filled my own heart with joy, and so I shall make this great task small for you."_

_The mist whirled around them, and the radiant woman vanished before Harmana's eyes. Instead, a magnificent gold and silver Dragon rose before her, silvery eyes filled with determination and triumph. As she watched, the Dragon raised its mighty talons and roared in the voice of a storm wind, as the smallest tooth was torn from the back of its mouth._

_To Harmana, the Dragon presented this smallest tooth. It was so small, it fit easily into her hand. But she knew at once that it was just as filled with power as the Dragon's largest, sharpest fangs._

" _It is hollow," said the Dragon. "Play it, as you would play your reed pipes, and send a summons to all my people. It will make a music that will not be heard, but known. I now give to you my own voice—the freedom and happiness of wild, jubilant Air. Take it, and make my people one."_

_As suddenly as it had descended, the mist lifted, and the great cloud passed over the sun. In the blink of an eye, the Dragon Sarafeao had vanished, and Harmana was alone in the trees._

_Yet she knew at once that she was not alone. All around her, the air was filled with voices—from the tress, the rocks, and the land, itself, begging her to do what must be done. The song filled her mind and sank into her skin, as the power of her gift changed her._

_Without returning to her tribe, Harmana turned and ran with the wind back into the hills, until she found herself where she had begun. So many years before, she had stood atop that hill and looked down at her people in sorrow. She now stood at its top again, looking down on a similar sight. Today, she looked upon her people in joy as she brought the sharp end of the Dragon's tooth to her lips, and blew into it with all the feeling she could find._

_There was no sound, but a change came over the warring tribes below her. Each one of them stopped, startled by a sound none of them could quite hear, and looked up toward its source._

_There, at the top of the hill, stood a young woman they once would have despised. Yet none of them could despise her now, for she seemed as radiant as the sun, alive with a light and a joy that could not be contained. That joy filled them, too, as they gazed with wonder at Harmana—the first Titan of wild, jubilant Air._

" _This wide and beautiful wilderness belongs not to one man or one tribe," she proclaimed, "but to all our people, and to the Dragon who guards us all with her heart. And so let us never again fight over this land, but for it. Let us know its ways and hear its voice, and answer when it calls us. From this day forward, the whispering winds will speak to us of wisdom and peace, and all those who come after me will hear and be glad."_

_And so it was that the wandering folk abandoned their terrible wars, looking instead to Harmana and the Corona tribe to teach them the ways they had long ago forgotten. Once again, Traveler fires blazed in the night, and the sounds of song and dance rose to meet the ears of the Dragon who loved them so. Their people became wise and prosperous, and brought happiness and fortune to all who met them. When times of trouble arose, the tribes would band together and fight as one, not to divide the land, but to defend it. In this way, the Dragon Sarafeao was pleased to bless them with other gifts, of sight, sound, and flight._

_And so the Travelers have lived, under the good care of their Titans, to this very day._

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"The end."

Zizi clapped his hands and squealed with delight as Forley closed the book.

"That was amazing!" he cheered. "Can I have—I want another one! Read another one! Please?"

"I think my sister and I need a break," Forley said instead, clearing his throat painfully. "I could do with a glass of water, too. Leah, how long have we been reading?"

"Nearly two hours," Leah answered, glancing anxiously toward the stairs. "I would never ask Star to cut her time short, especially not now that she's with her mother; but I had expected them all to be back by now. The bakery will be opening again soon, and Ofelia will be missing her terribly."

"Yeah, and Vivi has to—she's got to come and get me back," Zizi agreed. "The mean lady won't—she's not gonna let me go—not by myself."

"You mean Alanis?" Leah asked. "She isn't really so mean. She's just in a bad mood, that's all. Besides, your sister left me in charge, not her."

Zizi sighed to himself in relief. They had also explained who Alanis' parents were, but he couldn't see it so far. He was happy she had hidden herself in the attic, and hadn't come back. He was also happy that Ofelia had remained downstairs, busying herself in the bakery, seeing to it that her father remained unaware that the house had been invaded. She had tried to hit his big sister with a broom, and so he wasn't sure how he felt about the woman yet.

Only a short time had passed before they heard the backdoor opening and slamming shut downstairs. They also heard voices they had all been waiting for, and Ofelia's distinct voice greeting them, asking where they had been for so long.

"Oh, good," Leah sighed in relief. "They've returned. Oh, I can't wait to hear how everything went! Star must be so happy now; and I doubt if Zan is still angry, himself. He must be pleased to know things his brother does not."

Zizi supposed that Leah wanted to run downstairs and find all these things out for herself, but she obviously couldn't risk being seen. He couldn't risk it, either. Forley had already jumped up and was going toward the stairs, but his path was suddenly blocked. He bumped right into Vivi, as she appeared at the top of the steps and crashed into him.

"We're back," she sang, hiding her clumsiness by throwing her arms around Forley's waist and hugging him innocently. "Did you miss us?"

Zizi's heart thumped with excitement, and he dashed right up to his sister. He had so much of his own to tell her.

"Vivi, Vivi, guess what? I was—I was right!" he babbled, unable to contain himself. "Allun _does_ love the sweet weaver lady, just like—just like I said he did! And he's gonna—they're gonna get married, just like I said—like I wanted them to! And guess what? My new friends are—they're his babies! He's their dada! Isn't it—it's amazing!"

Still hugging him gently, Vivi looked up at Forley with an enormous grin. "Really? No way! Allun's the best! He's our very favorite! And you look just like I wanted him to look! Wow, this is the best day ever!"

Forley had been annoyed with her earlier, but he smiled his nice smile and patted her on the head. "Well, it's good to know that someone's been pulling for him," he said lightly. "Yeah, he does alright, in the end. And I do look just like him."

Vivi smirked up at him. "You know, I had my doubts about you before," she said. "But if you're Allun's kid, I guess you can't be so bad."

Zizi tugged at her sleeve. "They're all everyone's babies," he told her. "Their mamas and dadas—they're all in the story somewhere. Leah says we've already—we've seen them all."

Vivi made a face. "What about lady grumpy-pants?" she asked. "Whose kid is she supposed to be? I bet her mama's the stumpy furniture lady who's mean to all the nice people, huh?"

Forley laughed. "You mean Bronden? Of course not! Alanis is far too tall to be _her_ daughter. No, as it turns out, she takes very much after Strong John—her own father."

Vivi shook her head. "Nope, I don't believe that. Wait…" Her pale eyes grew wide with understanding. "Does that mean he really does get to marry Jiller? Oh, I hoped he might."

Forley shrugged. "That is what the story seems to say."

"And the story is—it's all true," Zizi agreed factually. "Star doesn't make up stuff. She only makes up true stuff. They said it."

"I knew it," Vivi smiled. "So, all your dadas went on adventures together, and now you're all on adventures together. I like that."

"Well, the young people of Rin take more after their elders than you would guess. It's in our blood, I suppose," Forley explained slowly. "Old habits die hard, it seems."

"That's good," Vivi agreed. "Those people can be stupid and mean; but when they turn out good, they turn out _really_ good. Your dada's great! So is Star's."

"Oh, they told you about that, did they?"

"They sure did," she said, snuggling into him. "Ooh, you're nice and warm, just like him!"

"Alright," he said cautiously. "This is new…"

Behind them, Leah began to laugh. "It appears we've all made new friends today," she commented. "I suddenly have a sneaking suspicion that we'll be seeing much more of these two in the future."

"You bet you will," Vivi agreed. "Boy, does Star have some news for you. You're all moving real soon! Thora said so, and she said she won't change her mind about it."

The brother and sister looked at her in astonishment.

"When was this decided?" Forley demanded, becoming annoyed with her again.

"Just a little while ago. I think they've worked it all out already. But don't worry, you're gonna like Bhlai House a lot. Zizi and I hide there all the time, 'cause there are so many rooms. Simon isn't so fun, I guess, but Thora's super nice and can't wait to meet you. And Zeel is there, too! You're all gonna be together again! Star said you wouldn't be very happy about it, but I can't see why. The whole thing's gonna be great, just wait and see."

"It sounds like her visit was a productive one," Forley said flatly. "And it sounds like she has a lot of explaining to do. Where is she?"

"Talking to the lady downstairs. She wants to know everything, too. She doesn't like us, but she sure likes you guys, huh?"

Forley ruffled her hair again, this time in exasperation. "That is very true. I suppose you'll both be wanting to stay a while longer…"

"That would be great, too. I want to see all your faces when they tell you everything."

Leah waved at her to get her attention. "In that case, might I interest you in a bath?" she suggested. "Immediately?"

Vivi scoffed. "Why?" she asked.

"Because you are filthy, and I insist on it," Leah answered tightly.

Zizi giggled. "She likes cleaning things," she whispered to his sister. "She cleaned me good."

"Aw, but I work so hard to keep you filthy," she whined. "They don't snatch dirty kids, just the clean, shiny ones."

"I like it."

She sighed and threw her hands up in defeat. "Oh, fine. I'll take your stupid bath, if it means I can hang around. But if we get snatched, it's all your fault."

Forley and Leah laughed at her attitude, and Zizi grinned. He was just happy that they didn't have to go soon. He would have been happy if they never had to go, but he knew that Vivi would insist on it. She was his big sister, and he trusted her absolutely. After all, she had kept him alive all this time, even if she refused to let big, strong people help them.

Still, he had a good feeling that today had been the start of a beautiful friendship.

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It had been a long and eventful day for June Barsa, as well. Twisting her ankle had been a near thing, and she had spent the morning dreading the trouble it would cause her. Learning that Mahna, her friend, possessed a secret healing power had been a blessing. The other girl had called it a gift and asked nothing in return, but June intended to repay her if she could, anyway. Mahna wasn't a slave, and didn't understand the burden of a debt.

Her older sister had quickly noticed that her bad ankle had fixed itself, too. Tiba had decided right away that she had been faking the whole thing, in a sad attempt to earn a day off, and had rewarded her with extra work for the rest of the week. It was frustrating, but June knew there was nothing to be done about it. Tiba was head of house now, and ordered the lives of all the slaves and servants. She did so with an iron fist and cruel temper, which certainly pleased their master as she had hoped it would.

June still wasn't entirely sure what her sister had done to earn such a right, and frankly wasn't sure if she wanted to know. Mostly, she did her best not to think of it, and focused all the harder on every task she was given. Industrious work done without question also pleased their master. Perhaps, if she was diligent enough, she would one day earn the power to do some good.

Today, that possibility seemed far away. For now, the day was done, and she gratefully fell into the small bed she shared with her mother. Morning would come all too soon, and she needed her rest if she was to keep up with the extra work ahead of her.

Her mother wouldn't come to bed for a while, yet. She was still in the kitchens, cleaning up after the evening meal. It was likely that she was also sneaking more food to the elders and children who worked without pay. It was just the sort of thing she would do. And so June found that she had a moment to herself, and wondered what to do with it.

All at once, she remembered the note that Mahna had pushed into her hands that afternoon. It was still stuffed in her pocket, along with a cake she hadn't been able to eat yet. Alone at last, she pulled both out and stared at them sadly. The cake had been crushed in its tidy wrapping, but was at least still good for eating. The note was in a similar state, and stained in places where it had rubbed against the wrapper.

Sighing to herself, June smoothed the note against her knee as she slowly enjoyed her treat, trying to eat as little of the wrapping as she could.

_**Queenly, you bestow to peace.** _

_**One blood no power tell.** _

_**Interested flame if wars come.** _

_**Moon magic, full of might, night reign on house royal healer's diadem, at palace meet will grand leaders.** _

_**Hand scepter, your crown in is king freedom, our majestic friends.** _

June stared at the words, wondering what they were supposed to mean. It seemed like poetry to her, and sounded as if it were in praise of the queen. If so, it wasn't very good. It looked more like gibberish than poetry. And what was she supposed to do with it now? Mahna had told her to tell everyone, but June didn't see what there was to tell anyone.

_What else did she say to do?_ She remembered. _She said to cast off my crown and understand, I think_. _But what did she mean by that? I'm just a slave, and have no crown of any sort to be cast off! What on earth was she talking about?_

With this in mind, she looked over the note again, trying to see what the clue was telling her. Suddenly, an idea came to her.

_Cast off my crown, and understand… Somehow, this seems familiar. Can it be…?_

On a whim, she tried reading it again, this time skipping over any words that had to do with the queen. Only a few words were left behind; and they did indeed seem to be a message.

_Doric code!_ She realized. _Oh, I was foolish not to see it before!_

But if she remembered correctly, there was one more trick to this particular code. She read the note one more time, beginning at the end and reading backwards. At last, she saw the message for what it was:

_**Friends, our freedom is in your hands.** _

_**Leaders will meet at healer's house on night of full moon.** _

_**Come if interested.** _

_**Tell no one.** _

_**Peace to you.** _

June gasped in astonishment. She was so delighted that she nearly laughed out loud; she was already choking on her cake, as it was. The code they called Doric was an older one, rarely ever used anymore, because it had become more popular with Central Control to use ciphers to scramble the letters of their messages. June had only remembered it because of boring history lessons, from the days before she had been enslaved. Those lessons had served her poorly since then, and had mostly been forgotten. This was the first time she had needed any of them, and she silently thanked the stars that she hadn't quite forgotten everything she had learned.

Now that she saw the message, she slowly considered what it meant. It didn't speak of the queen at all, but of the rebellion against her that was brewing in secret. June had heard rumors of it for months, never expecting to become so involved in it. So, it seemed that the leaders were gathering soon to gather determined followers. They would be meeting on the night of the full moon, just a few weeks away. And they would be meeting in the house of one of Habaharan's healers. There were many in the city, and June wondered which of them it could be.

_I must speak with Mahna again_ , she decided. _And I must do it soon. If she knows that I understand the message, she will tell me which healer to go to that night. I know that what she did for me today was a gift; but if I could ever repay her for it, it is by obeying this summons._ _I've grown tired of living this way. I remember what it is like to live a free life, but I've done my best to leave that life behind and face what it has become. Well, if my freedom is in my own hands, I should think they have grown strong enough to fight for it._

It was amazing to her how her whole outlook on things had turned around, in the space of a few seconds' privacy. Only moments ago, she had been bracing herself to bravely shoulder her troubles, never thinking to hope for anything. Now, with the crumpled note still balanced on her knee, she was suddenly filled with a hope she couldn't explain. Things really were changing, and she had the chance to be a part of that.

It was a chance she fully intended to take, and a message she couldn't wait to pass along to the rest of her household, and to anyone else she met.

To be on the safe side, she took the note and tore it up into little pieces that could never be put back together. She could carry the message perfectly well on her own. If her sister found it, who even knew what mayhem would follow?

Satisfied, June stuffed the torn up paper back in her pocket and laid back in bed, actually looking forward to the days ahead.

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_Afterthoughts…_

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A good, full chapter, and Star doesn't even have a speaking part in it. Man, I'm amazing. :D

I doubt that the different fonts I've used are obvious. To clarify, all of Star's writing appears in Batang font, and Zamiel's in Bookman Old Style font. I like how in _Deltora Quest_ , different people's writing is done in different fonts that suit them, and so I've tried copying that in my hard copies.

Yes, we are using a very recognizable code from _Deltora Quest_ , because I don't have the patience to make up one of my own. And it makes sense to me that the Zebak might have some knowledge of it, because Deltora is only a stone's throw away, and there's bound to be some influence somehow. I've wondered if Doran possibly even made it to the Zebak lands at one point, because he certainly got around. In any case, they have his code, and the common folk use it frequently to foil the guards. They are well aware of this code's existence, but don't believe the people could be clever enough to use it, and so they rarely recognize it, themselves, when they see it. You've got to love that about them. XD


	6. Written Verse

_Chapter 6: Written Verse_

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In very little time, Alanis and Leah had learned a thing or two of what it was like to be Ofelia. They had held several doubts about their new hiding place, mainly because it had been thrust on them without warning, and they had been given no say in the matter. They knew nothing about their hostess except that she was a healer by trade, and that her house was enormous. Vivi and Zizi had also babbled about Simon, Thora's cantankerous brother, who sounded delightfully unpleasant.

Alanis and Leah had been at home with the idea of having rooms of their own, and the chance to be with Zeel again; but so much uncertainty had made them anxious. Being trundled to the place in the back of a smelly fish cart, as they had first entered the city, had done nothing to help.

All of that had changed the moment they had stepped inside Bhlai House for the first time. Zeel had greeted them first, hugging and kissing them, weeping with joy to see them again. Thora had come next, welcoming them into her home with great care and grace. She had been surprisingly glad to suddenly have so many strangers in her home, and had treated them as family from the second she had met them.

"She reminds me of gran," Leah had commented thoughtfully, smiling at happy memories of her grandmother, who had also welcomed strangers with similar love into her life.

Even Alanis had to let her heart soften a bit, though she hadn't lowered her guard completely. She had never really cared for Ofelia, but she had come to better appreciate all that the woman had done in the past several months. And she certainly preferred Thora's big house to the cramped attic she had been living in, and so her mood had improved greatly.

Settling into the house had been a small adventure of its own. Star, Forley, Alanis, and Leah had explored all three stories, picking rooms they liked, as Thora had told them to do. There had been many to choose from, and some of them hadn't been obvious. Many of the walls had well-hidden panels that slid away, with even more rooms inside. Some of these hidden rooms were connected by passages and tunnels. One the third floor, they had found that all the hidden rooms connected like a web, and that the passage ended in a chute that led down to the back alleyway.

It would have been easy to guess that the chute was meant for garbage, or laundry. It was also easy to say that a desperate person could escape the house, that way, if guards came looking for them.

"If I didn't know any better," Forley had said of the discovery, "I would say that Thora built this house for the sole purpose of helping people like us. And to say nothing of Zamiel and his rebellion."

It didn't take long for Alanis and Leah to settle on the maze of rooms on the third floor, as close to the escape chute as possible. They were also able to walk around the third floor freely, because it was rare for anyone else to be there, and that appealed to them greatly. They had weathered their seclusion bravely, but they were far more used to open spaces. They were still trapped indoors, but at least they had a little space to roam freely now.

Star and Forley were content on the first floor. Star preferred to be close to her mother, who could barely walk up and down stairs anymore; and she and Forley were still needed at the bakery. Dashing down flights of stairs to go to work every morning seemed like a pain. They disliked being so separated from their friends in the same house, but it suited them well.

And that had been that. Star's life had found a new rhythm, which she found she quite liked. It was good to have a room to herself again, with her own bed and her own things, and no sleeping cousins to tiptoe around in the early mornings. Her mother saw her out the door almost every day, and was always there to welcome her back with a hug. Whenever she and Forley returned from their work, there was always a pot of tea and a plate of cookies waiting for them.

They often returned to find that Thora was treating patients; sometimes, her living room was crowded with people waiting to see her. There would be people of all sorts—guards in their gray uniforms, working men with bags full of tools still slung over their shoulders, mothers comforting their sick or impatient children. Though it was never surprising to see new faces, certain faces appeared with regularity—a gruff female guard with a reoccurring migraine, a young man with an early case of arthritis in his hands, and one woman whose little son had suffered lung problems his whole life. Star quickly came to know such people by name, and went out of her way to be of help whenever she could.

Having grown up as the daughter of a healer, it made her feel oddly at home. It was hardly different from treating the people of Rin. In fact, Star could remember her father treating almost all the same ails and ills she saw at Bhlai House. It was plain that Zeel remembered, also; it was rare to see her sitting still, when there were so many people who needed care. After so many years spent as a healer's wife, how could she be expected to do otherwise?

It all made Star's heart swell with unexplainable pride in her mother's people. They were all human beings, trying to live their lives, like any others. From a distance, the Zebak had been mysterious and terrifying. In this light, they weren't so different from the Rinfolk, or the Travelers, or any other nation that might be out there in the wide world.

Star liked them for that. On the whole, she had found that they were easy to like. Most of them were stern and short-tempered, as she had suspected they might be; but there were still many shy, soft-spoken people among them. They seemed a healthy mix of strong and weak, bold and gentle, loud and humble, and everything between those extremes, as any people ought to be.

There was great potential in the Zebak. The only thing keeping them from doing great things was their wretched Titan queen, and the slavery she had bound them to. But that was soon to change. Once they had won their freedom, who even knew what they could do? That idea would have filled the people of Rin with dread; but it filled Star with hope and excitement. They didn't know the Zebak as she did now. They couldn't believe the good she had seen in them.

Perhaps they would be surprised, themselves, someday soon.

Of course, there were other frequent visitors Star had grown used to. Vivi and Zizi came running there for shelter several times a week, always another trinket or two richer than before. It was a good thing, too, because Zared Azan also visited with annoying regularity, and was always asking about Vivi—who he knew as shy, unremarkable Lilian, daughter of a tame and fretful widow named Ferriene. He always remained for as long as he could, trying to engage the woman in conversation, and seeming pleased by her generally mild manner.

So far, he didn't seem to notice that anyone else had come to live at Bhlai House. If he saw Star and Forley there, he simply assumed that they were on an errand and would be gone soon enough. He never paid them any attention, because it was focused on Zeel, and Zeel alone. There was simply nothing that any of them could do about it, but to go on pretending that they were nothing out of the ordinary, and that his visits meant nothing to them. They would smile and wave as he departed, as if they had been pleased and honored by his company; but as soon as he was out of sight, they would all grumble and complain about what a horrible person he was, and laugh at how he didn't suspect them in the slightest.

The only person who hadn't really been thrilled by this change was Zamiel. He had disliked being foiled as much as they had suspected he might; on the other hand, he had been cautiously glad, because Thora could certainly care for his new friends much better than his love could. It also removed Ofelia and her father from considerable danger, and he couldn't be angry about that. Now that Zeel had her daughter and nephew to bring her news, Zamiel came in person less and less. It was one more duty to his cause he no longer had to worry about. Since then, he had seemed more at ease whenever they did see him.

Zan, on the other hand, came to see them as often as he could. He had forgotten how much he liked to be at Bhlai House, where Thora loved and cared for him like a son of her own. Now that he had been back and remembered that, he had done as she had firmly told him to and become at home there again. His mood had improved greatly, too. He no longer came equipped to fight with Star over their very different beliefs, but to simply talk and enjoy treats, and even enjoy her company. He often brought books on machines and the air travel that fascinated him, and showed Star his own notes on it, as he had promised.

Star understood little of it, but she marveled at his ideas, all the same. As far as she could tell, they were all good ones. And though his usual sarcastic manner never fully left him, it was more and more common to see him smiling. In those first weeks at Bhlai House, the last bits of mistrust between them had faded away. Finally, Star could say with confidence that they were friends.

"It seems that Thora's brilliant plan has worked to perfection," he told them one afternoon. "She has talked it over with Zamiel, and he has agreed to hold all his meetings here in the future."

"I thought he had already planned to do that," Forley commented.

"Not exactly. The meeting next week was always to be held here; but he had planned to have many gathering places, so that we wouldn't be so obvious. If our squad hosts a lot of 'parties' in the same place all the time, he worries that someone at Central is bound to notice it. But Thora has talked him into it, somehow. She wants to help him, and it frustrates her when he won't let her do it. She says it makes her feel like a helpless old lady."

Star smiled at this. "I have good news about that, too," she said brightly. "I saw June at the bakery today. She figured out the message ages ago, and she's excited about it. She asked me today which healer's house the message spoke of, so I told her. She isn't sure how she will slip away that night, but she is determined to be here."

Zan hummed to himself, thinking. "Maybe we can help her with that. The more people come, the better. Many people have approached us lately, asking for details, which is excellent. If we can just get her here… Well, her master is ours, also. I'm sure we can figure something out."

Star grinned at this. "I'm glad to hear it. June doesn't seem like much at all, but I think she will surprise us, if we let her. She may turn out to be one of our brightest candles in the dark, for all we know. Zan, is there to be another message soon?"

"I hope not," Zan grumbled. "My brothers love codes and puzzles and riddles, but I hate them. I haven't the patience for unraveling them, when I need the information at once; and I'm certainly no good at putting them together for others."

Star could understand that, though she felt quite the opposite. Having grown up surrounded by the mysteries of the Earth Sigil, she was good at riddles, herself. As a small child, Norriss and Shaaran had often challenged her with word puzzles of their own, taught to them by their grandfather. She had once thought that it was just a game they had played with her, and a way of sharing their unique history with her. More recently, though, she had begun to wonder if they had been preparing her young mind for the much bigger challenges the Sigil would give her. If so, those preparations were paying off well.

That night, Star lay in her own bed in her own room, enjoying the stillness of the night as she drifted to sleep. As she did so, she thought over the last few months, and at how amazingly pleasant her life was now. It was so filled with purpose and promise, for the first time that she could remember. It was also busy and filled with things to be done, as it never had been before. Even though she was surrounded by turmoil and pain, she liked what her life had become and where it was headed. At last, she had found a place where she truly seemed to belong, and a cause that she really cared for.

If she had been at home and all had been well, she would have just bid her parents goodnight, and gone to bed with nothing particularly pressing to look forward to the next day. No doubt, she would have made her way to a quiet place to work on a perfect draft of the Book, because there were no printing presses in Rin, and she would have been doing all the work by hand. She might have been finished with one of them by now, and somewhere in the middle of a second one. She would have done this work in the shelter of her house, or in the shade of the orchard, or even in the kitchen of the bakery or carpentry—somewhere she could be close to her family, but far from the people who laughed behind her back because she was different. She would have shared a meal and uninteresting stories of the day with her grandparents, or godparents, or aunt and uncle, and then she would have returned home to bid her parents goodnight and go to bed again. And the following days would have brought much of the same.

 _The rest of them would know of my brother or sister, too,_ she thought with a sigh. _They would have been so proud and happy, and so excited. Oh well. I suppose they're just in for one more surprise when we do get back._

That was also a nice idea. She smiled at it, and then closed her eyes.

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When Forley came to fetch her early the next morning, he had every reason to think she would already be up and nearly ready to go. But when he knocked on her door, he was met with silence. He waited for long moments, and Star still didn't answer. Puzzled, he let himself inside and found an odd sight.

Star was awake, but unready to go anywhere. She was still in her nightgown, sitting on the edge of her bed, with her hair wild and unbrushed, falling into her face and hiding it. In her hands was the Earth Sigil, glowing with a radiance that even Forley could see clearly.

And she was sad. Terribly sad. He didn't have to see her face to know that she had been crying. Suddenly worried, wondering what sort of vision she had seen in the medallion, Forley came over and cautiously sat beside her. He knew she was aware of him, but she seemed not to notice. Her gaze was still locked on the Sigil.

"Star, what happened?" he asked.

She drew in a deep, shuddering breath, and sighed heavily.

"Granny is dead," she whispered. "She passed away in the night."

Forley gasped in surprise. "You saw it?"

Star shook her head slowly. "I felt it. The Earth Sigil went cold, all at once. Then it flared back to life, stronger than it's ever been before. My father really is the one true Titan of Earth, now… And he is all alone."

Forley put his arm around her and pulled her close. "That isn't true. He has everyone else with him. They will look after him, I'm sure of it."

"It's not the same, Forley. Mum was right—she always is. The Sigil is supposed to be with him, and instead it's here, with me. It's not right. I can't believe I've done this to him…"

A silence settled over them. Forley wished he knew what to say, but words escaped him. Sheba had been ancient and wise, and so much stronger than her age. It was hard to believe that she could have died so easily, simply slipping away as any other elder might. It seemed an unextraordinary death for someone so special.

Yet here it was, and they were unable to do anything about it.

"I am still needed at the bakery," Forley said at last, "though it is clear to me that you need your space today."

"I do," Star agreed. "Tell Ofelia that I'm not well; it's hardly a lie. I will be there tomorrow."

"Of course," he said, squeezing her gently before he left. As he was stepping out the door, he thought of one last thing to say to her. He wasn't sure how cheered or reassured she would be, but he knew she needed to hear it, anyway.

"Star, whether it was right or not to bring it here, you were meant to have the Sigil for a reason," he said to her. "It was meant to bring peace and harmony, and no one needs that more now than the Zebak do. Whatever comes next, you will use it to do the right thing. I know you will."

Star didn't answer him. It was hard to tell if she had really heard him at all. Deciding that he had done all he could, he tore himself away and shut the door behind him. It bothered him that he couldn't do more, when all she needed was to be alone with her grief. It would take time for that to pass fully and he would have to leave her with that. It was something that only she could face.

For himself, Forley wasn't quite sure what he felt. All he was sure of was that the world already felt strange and different, knowing that Sheba was no longer a part of it. And he wondered furiously what Rowan would do next, without his teacher or the talisman of his people to guide him. Of course he wasn't alone; but far away across the sea and the plains, he must have felt terribly lost and very alone, indeed.

 _But Star said that the Sigil feels stronger than before,_ he thought as he made his way back to the bakery. _And its powers have already been stronger, since she brought it here. It shouldn't have bonded with her like this, but it has… Or something like that. In any case, it has changed her. I wonder how it will change her next….?_

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Star had wondered the same thing, herself. Feeling the power of the Sigil flicker out the way it had had been awful; and if she hadn't known it better, she would have feared that she had broken it, somehow. The life and energy and power coursing through it now was overwhelming and almost terrifying.

She had thought before that it was a thing of wonder and beauty. Apparently, that was only the force it carried from an aging Titan, weary of the world and preparing to depart from it. The Sigil now sang with the life force of a young Titan. It felt strong and free-spirited, like a young creature at play, filled nearly to bursting with energy and feeling it could hardly contain.

For a long time, Star had sat in the darkness of her room, expecting the medallion to suddenly overtake her with visions, signs, and superhuman strength. Though it went on pulsing with light in her hands, it was still. For now, it seemed to just be reveling in this newfound spirit, so long forgotten. Sheba had been young once, after all; but that time had been decades ago.

In any case, Star knew that she now held all the power to move mountains in the palm of her hand. Her father had that much power in one finger, even without the Sigil to aid him. But whether it answered her or not, Star was not a Titan. She would need that help to do such a mighty thing. Was this the reason she was meant to have it? What wonder was she to do, if she needed that kind of strength at her disposal?

That was a dizzying thought. It was a great deal to do with her blood and her destiny, and she had no head for it this morning. She tried her best to not think of it on a normal day. On this day, with her heart filled with grief, the very idea was gut wrenching. She hung her head, as fresh tears filled her eyes.

 _All I ever wanted was a peaceful, happy life with my friends and family_ , she thought dismally. _I wanted to study our great tales and songs, and write of the history in them. I wanted to write my own stories of fantasy and truth, and make our world better in my own small, special ways. It was all I ever thought I would do. How very differently my place in the world has turned out to be. Here I am, among the Zebak, with the stolen talisman of my father's people, helping a band of rebels start a war!_

That last thought gave her pause. She had thought it bitterly, thinking of herself as a liar, a thief, and a terrible excuse for a daughter. As soon as she had thought it, though, it helped turn her mind to practical things. She had already used the Sigil's meager power to do small but great things for these people. Now that it was at its fullest strength, perhaps she could use it to make this hopeful revolution a successful one. It would take no less than moving a mountain to free these people—the Dragon Queen was an impossibly large obstacle to be moved aside.

And even if she had that power now, there was no reason to reveal it yet. Even though her father had been able to do it all along, she had never seen him do it. There was absolutely no reason to exercise that kind of power unless it was truly needed. And the Sigil was one to reward humility over vanity.

And so, even though she was still frightened by all it meant, she resolved to keep the whole thing as secret as she could, and continue to only ask the Sigil for help in small ways. And she acted on this right away, knowing that it would give her the direction she sorely needed.

 _What do I do now?_ She asked, knowing that she must have sounded pitiful.

The medallion flared with light, and grew so warm that it nearly burned her as words creeped like growing things into her mind.

_Ponder not the universe._

_Water your roots with written verse._

As always, the words could have meant many things, and yet could have meant nothing at all. To anyone else, there was no direction whatever to be found in them. But to Star, whose great talent had always been with written words, it was a balm to her troubled heart. It pointed her at once in a steady direction.

She slipped the Sigil back around her neck, where it belonged for now, and went to look through her things for an empty book. She had bought several since arriving in Habaharan, never liking to be without a blank notebook or two, but had been too busy lately to fill any of them. Now, more than ever, she knew that she needed to fill one of them immediately.

Far too much time had passed in the city, and so much had happened. She picked the biggest of her new books. She took out a full jar of ink. For comfort, she selected her beautiful gleaming pen from the ones she now had.

She looked fondly at the long green plume, and couldn't help smiling at it. In her mind, it was still as perfect as the day she had found it. She had thought then that she would change the world by using it to make her copies of the Book. Only now did it occur to her that Fate had planned something a little different for her and this particular pen.

By the light of the glowing Earth Sigil, Star watered her roots, and began writing down her very own adventure from the beginning.

_"Star, come along! I won't call you again!"_

_"I'll be right there, mum," the girl called back for the third time, smirking to herself. Despite the annoyance in her mother's voice, she was fine with not being summoned again. She was taking her time, as she always did. She had never liked to be rushed._

Yes, that was the day it had all begun, wasn't it? It was only a start, but Star let her smile grow a bit at her work so far. It was a good beginning to a new story…

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_Afterthoughts…_

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So, I decided to harken back to the first book. Allun does this in _Travelers_ , and I've been looking for a good place to use this device for myself. It's a seriously cool but undervalued device. People should use it more often. :P

Yes, Sheba is dead. Yes, Rowan is sad. No, we won't change scenes to see how he is doing. He is sitting in his house, feeling sorry for himself, and that is about the size of it. I _could_ write about that, but it would be super depressing and beside the point. Star is being far more interesting. ;D

I also could have gone on and on and on about the Sigil's new powers, but I won't bore you with that, either. I'm writing a fantasy story, not a textbook. I will say, though, that I like to think of it as a Final Fantasy-style magic upgrade. It's hard for me _not_ to write without picturing the action like a video game—you've got your inventory (Star's satchel), your Non-Playable Characters with inane dialogue (Violet, Tiba, _any_ guard or pedestrian), your playable character swaps (ZAN has joined the party! VIVI has left the party.), your boss battles with awesome items at the end (FIGHTER KING has been defeated! You obtained GLEAMING PEN!), and your cut-scenes with a nice movie sequence (basically whenever Star is in a bakery for any length of time).

And, of course, you've got your magic system with starter spells that keep leveling up as you go along. More about that shortly. :)

For all that has happened, this chapter is surprisingly short, just under 4K word count and only 9 pages long. It's the second-shortest chapter in the whole thing—and by astonishing coincidence, that first chapter of _Dragon Queen_ happens to be THE shortest, at slightly over 2K. I tried at first to keep chapters this short, to follow Rodda's traditional reading level, but I quickly gave that up because I haven't been 12 for a very long time. Besides, think of the people my age who had to grow up without more _Rowan_ to fill that hole in their lives. They're my age now, and deserve something meatier than 8th grade literature. XD


	7. Shadows of the Past

You know that feeling when you have to use the bathroom _so_ badly all of a sudden, you don't know if you'll make it on time? Well, Star's brand of magic is kind of like that on occasion. Particularly in today's chapter. ;D

I've been looking forward to reaching this point, because the next several chapters are the main idea that _Moonstone Fragment_ has been built up around. We finally get the central four-liner, and the Sigil finally gets to do some really cool stuff. Also, some fun clips from _Rowan and the Zebak_. Oh, don't look at me like that, you all knew it was coming. XD

Also, did you know that Habaharan's sewer system is like a small city of its own? It's like a sad annex of the slums. What's that? You _didn't_ know that? Oh, Vivi is going to laugh and laugh at you… :P

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_Chapter 7: Shadows of the Past_

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Another few days passed, and Star was relived to find that her help in the bakery wasn't needed presently. After hearing what had happened, Ofelia had insisted she take have the rest of the week to herself. Such periods of mourning were customary in the city, and Star was expected to do little more than feel her grief for all it was worth. Her only duty for now was to remember her granny, celebrate her life, and be comforted by friends and living family.

Star was glad, then, that she was in Habaharan. The people of Rin would never had stood for such a thing. They would have expected her to appear strong, and they would have expected her not to cry. As if losing a loved one didn't bother her in the slightest. She suspected that here, among the Zebak, the people would have been suspicious if she wasn't clearly upset over such a loss.

She took this opportunity to work more on her own story. It was coming along nicely, in her opinion. When she finally caught up to where she was now, she planned to keep a journal of all that happened next, and craft the rest of her tale from those entries.

She also kept a close eye on the Earth Sigil, unsure of what it might do to her next. However, the medallion kept to itself, basking in its own radiance, and left her alone. Star greatly preferred this. It felt good to be writing stories again. Being interrupted by deep magic now would have been a painful bother.

One afternoon, bored in spite of her grief, Star decided that she would do Thora a kind favor. She took a small basket, and a list of items the woman needed from the market, and went to run those errands herself. It was amusing to look over that list and know what each item was, and what they would be used for. There were only one or two things that she wasn't already familiar with.

That was because Sheba had taught her so well. And Star knew that her granny would have preferred to be remembered with the good deeds and practicality she had worked so hard to impart. It felt right to be walking to the market today, with Thora's list in hand.

In fact, it felt very right. Star felt this sense of rightness growing as she wound through the market stalls, crossing out the list as she went, filling her basket with the things she had found. Now that she thought of it, she wondered if the Earth Sigil had been silently leading her the whole time.

Though she would never think of disobeying the Sigil, Star was glad that her errand was almost done. She didn't want to think of it or its power today, or any time soon, because it still troubled her. Finally, she found a stall carrying the last item on her list—a strange yellow herb called myrmon, a well-known sleeping drug. It was one of the few things on Thora's list which were new to her; it was apparently new to the Zebak, as well. Many were unsure, themselves, of where it had come from.

While she waited patiently for the vendor to measure and package what she had paid for, something flickered in the corner of her sight. She looked up to see where it had come from, and immediately noticed something that didn't quite belong. There was a covered wagon trundling through the street just ahead of her, escorted by a few guards. Star hadn't heard its approach, and the people around her didn't seem to notice it, which was odd.

As the wagon passed her, she could have sworn that the grach pulling it along was familiar, somehow. There was something strangely familiar about the whole sight, the more she looked at it. She felt as if she had seen the very same moment once, but had no idea when it had been.

Suddenly, one of the guards turned her head to look around suspiciously, frowning severely at everyone around her, daring them to pay her attention. As her gaze swept over Star, the girl nearly cried out in alarm. The guard was tall, but much younger than she had appeared; and her fine face and pale eyes were instantly recognizable.

It was Zeel. Star was looking at a vision of her mother, many years younger, on her first misadventure in this city. No wonder the grach had seemed familiar—it was Unos! And no wonder the sight had seemed familiar, too—he had been told of it from childhood, and had written it down not very long ago at all.

And now she was watching it unfold before her eyes. It was little wonder that the people around her hadn't noticed the cart, or scurried out of its way as they passed. They couldn't see it. If Star looked hard enough, she could nearly see right through her mother, and Unos, and the cart and the other guards. They were like ghosts, or shadows. Nothing more than a memory.

As the cart and its escort passed her by, she suddenly felt an urgent tugging at her heart. The Sigil was growing warm, warmer, hot, threatening her with a message of its own. Her hand flew to the shape of the medallion under her dress as her breath quickened in panic.

_No, please, not here!_ She begged it. _We will be seen! Just wait a few moments. Just a few moments longer. Just until I am indoors again!_

Meanwhile, the vendor was frowning in concern at her. "Young lady, are you well?" she asked.

Star forced a smile and laughed nervously. "Too much _abrasha_ , I suppose," she insisted, waving away the woman's obvious worry. "Oh, I really should cut down, shouldn't I?"

The vendor smiled back in understanding. "Shouldn't we all," she agreed, handing over the package she had prepared. Star nodded her thanks and shoved the package into her basket, then turned and ran the whole way back to Bhlai House. The Sigil had calmed itself a bit, willing to let her get back to safety. But it was impatient to tell her something, and unwilling to wait much longer. Star felt that if it had a body, it would be tapping its foot in annoyance.

Finally, Star reached Bhlai House and threw herself through the front door. She slammed it shut and fell back against it, panting desperately for air, and dropped the basket in a heap on the floor. Now that she was safe, at last, she made herself relax as much as possible, and allowed the Sigil to overtake her. The force was like a flood washing over her. The words she found in her heart were pushing their way to the surface, just as desperate to breathe as she was. For the first time she could remember, the words of prophecy were hurting her.

_Where bonds were broken by friend and foe—_

_This is the place you now must go._

_An aid your name could never buy_

_Awaits for you, where secrets lie._

As suddenly as the medallion had flared to life, it faded back into silence, pulling all its fantastic new strength back with it. The emptiness Star now felt was like nothing she had ever experienced before. She had been so painfully filled with magic, just seconds ago, and now it was gone. She was exhausted and shaking, and fell to her knees with her head spinning. Somewhere nearby, people were calling her name, even demanding what was going on with her. She recognized her mother's voice, and Thora's; the others were just a blur of sound, pounding in her head.

She found her mother kneeling before her, griping her shoulders to keep her up, pulling her close to comfort her. Star held her, too, just relieved that she had made it back in time.

"They aren't supposed to be so long for you," Zeel commented fearfully. "What in heaven's name did you ask of it?"

"Nothing," Star gasped back. "It just… Mum, I saw a vision—a vision of the past. It was you—you, in the past, in the story. And then the riddle…"

Zeel shook her head and took Star's face in her hands. There was confusion and awful terror in her eyes, nothing like she had been in the vision.

"Shadow of the past… Riddles with hidden meanings… This wasn't supposed to happen to you," she murmured. "Your father said this couldn't happen to you! How have you done this?"

"I didn't do anything," Star insisted, just as alarmed. "It just happened, I swear it! I don't want this! I never asked for it to happen, it just… Did."

The two were silent, letting this knowledge settle in. However it had happened, Star knew better than to ignore the riddle. There was certainly a reason it had been given to her, and she dare not pretend that she hadn't heard it. Indeed, she couldn't have done so if she had truly wanted to; the words were swirling in her mind, stamped there permanently, demanding her attention. And Zeel knew enough of such things to know it, also. It was a moment she had secretly dreaded for many years, and now it had come.

Seeing that there was no way to avoid it now, Zeel helped Star climb to her feet, and helped her into the living room. There, an astonished crowd was waiting to meet here. Thora was certainly there, her hand over her heart. Forley had returned and was standing beside the woman, gazing at his cousin with unbelieving eyes. Vivi was hovering nearby, beside herself with curiosity; Zizi was clinging to her anxiously, worried that one of his friends was in trouble. And Zan was there, too, looking impossibly confused over what he had just seen and heard, but still wanting to be of help.

It was quite a crowd to witness her first big experience with the medallion. But at least there were no patients and no slimy generals there, too. Star decided that it would simply have to suffice for now. Her mother led her into a chair, and she sank down into it gratefully. Thora poured her a cup of tea, and Zizi helpfully jumped forward to hand it over.

"You don't—you don't look good," he said. "Did you get hurt?"

"Maybe, a little," she answered quietly.

"You gonna be okay?"

"Yes, I think so. Thank you."

Zizi didn't seem convinced, and Star didn't blame him. She wasn't sure if she would be okay, herself.

All at once, Vivi began to laugh. She started out giggling, but was quickly cackling so hard that she doubled over.

"She's having visions and saying rhymes!" the girl cheered, as if it were a victory. "Just like her dada! Come on, you guys, it's amazing!"

"No, it is not," Zeel snapped back. "He's supposed to be the only one who can do these things. And they lead to nothing but terrible danger. Have you learned nothing from the tales, Vivi?"

"Yeah, I've learned that riddles and adventures are _awesome_ ," the child drawled.

Zeel looked furious, and like she wanted to strangle Vivi for her ignorance. Instead, she heaved a sigh and crossed her arms. She knew from experience how pointless it was to argue with a stubborn child.

"In any case, it is out of my hands," she continued sadly. "I've done all I could to shelter my child from the dangers of magic, but it seems that all my hard work has been in vain. Clearly, my Star truly is meant to carry the blasted thing, no matter how she nor I nor anyone else feels about it. I wish with all my heart that it were not so, but I would be foolish to work against it."

Zizi tugged on her sleeve, and she glanced down at him in surprise.

"But, if she's—she's having riddles, just like—Rowan had riddles, too," he stammered. "And you—you figured them all out. She wrote it, and—Star only writes true things. So we should—let's figure this one out, too! Together! Just like the story!"

There was a pause as everyone considered this. It was unusual for Zizi to say so much in one place, because his stammering held him back. It was surprising how profound his words could be, whenever he did find his voice.

"He's right, of course," Forley agreed. "If there is a riddle to be unraveled, we should get to unraveling it at once."

"Wait a moment," Zan interrupted. "You mean to say that all those stories of riddles and secrets were real? Wars and poison and horrible monsters are real enough; but I thought the rhymes were just to keep things interesting."

Zeel and Thora both shook their heads at him.

"If that's what you thought, young man, then you missed the whole point of those stories," Thora said in her crisp way. "Of course they must be real. After all, you just saw it happen with your own eyes. Let your texts and philosophers explain that."

"I'm sure that one of them can," Zan grumbled, scratching his head. He had never looked so perplexed before. "There must be a logical explanation…"

"Never mind all that," Star said firmly. "If there is a verse, I can't waste time fighting over logic. I must solve the riddle, and I must do it quickly. If any of you wish to help me, I would be glad of the help; if not, that is fine, too. I just need to do this, and figure out what I am to do next."

To her pleasure, everyone gathered around her to help. Even Zan came forward. He may not have understood what was happening, and he may not have cared for puzzles, but he was still her friend.

Thora reached into her apron pocket for a notepad and a stylus. "Repeat the verse for us, Star. You will never forget it, I shouldn't wonder, but it will help the rest of us to see the words."

Star nodded, certainly not needing to think hard to remember.

"Where bonds were broken by friend and foe—

This is the place you now should go.

An aid your name could never buy

Awaits for you, where secrets lie."

Thora glanced over the rhyme, planting her fist on her hip as she thought it over.

"So, it seems you are to go to a certain place, and perhaps find some kind of tool. That much is plain to me," she said.

Vivi wrinkled her nose. "Why would she need tools? You've got bunches around here. I bet Zan's dopey brothers have tools at their house, too. Why can't she just use those?"

Forley chuckled. "Thora doesn't mean hammers and wrenches, I think. She means something we can use for a specific purpose. The rhyme speaks of an aid waiting for us, in a secret place. A place where bonds were broken."

Zan snorted at this. "That place lies outside the city, then. No bond was ever broken within these walls."

"That isn't entirely true," Zeel said slowly. "Star also saw a vision of the past, before the prophecy. She saw me, as a girl, disguised and playing my own part in a great puzzle. I can't believe that these pieces of the past and future do not go together. It has rarely been otherwise."

Star looked up at her mother, awed by her courage and cleverness. "Our future lies in our past, then," she said. "A specific part of our past. You seem to have an idea, mum."

"I do," Zeel agreed. "You said you saw me, as I was in the tale. I suppose I was walking alongside a covered cart, was I not?"

"Yes, you were."

"Your father and godfather and our friend Perlain were in the back of that cart. And we were going somewhere very specific, indeed."

Vivi and Zizi's faces lit up, and the girl's hand shot into the air.

"Oh, I know! I know where you were going!" she exclaimed without waiting to be called on. "You were going to Rin, but you didn't know it yet."

Zeel smiled ruefully. "No, but we learned it quickly. A great many things happened once we were inside the compound. Vivi, since you are clearly the expert on it, why don't you remind us of some of those things?"

Pleased to be so important, Vivi began counting things she remembered on her fingers.

"Well, let's see… That dumb guard caught you. And you met Norriss. And you found Annad. And they said you were in Rin. And you freaked out. And they showed you the silks. And you freaked out some more. And the old man died, _and_ the dumb guard died—"

"Stop right there. That's the thing I was looking for."

"With the guard and the old man dying?" Vivi asked. "But that part was scary and sad."

"Yes, I know. I was there, and it was scary and sad. But think, clever child. Why did that have to happen?"

Vivi shrugged. "So your grach could fly, or something. So what?"

It was plain that she didn't understand what Zeel was trying to say. But Star and Forley saw it at once, and the exchanged a look of amazement.

"He swore that Unos would never fly," Star exclaimed. "So he let himself be killed, and that bond died with him. She was freed."

"And then the guard was struck and killed, too," Forley continued, just as excited as she was. "They were given the chance they needed to escape. And so that bond also died, and your father and his friends were also freed."

"Bonds of all kinds, broken by friend and foe," Star said again. "The place I must go now is Rin—Old Rin, where our aunt and uncle grew up."

They were positively thrilled by this idea, and at how well they had figured it out by working together. Zan crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at them.

"That answer seems too easy to me," me said. "I thought these riddles of yours were supposed to be difficult. I also thought that the answers revealed themselves slowly, with trial and error. It was always so for your father and his companions. They rarely got it right on the first try."

"But what else could it mean to us now?" Star asked. "You said yourself, no such place exists in this city. The only place such a thing ever happened was there, in the compound. It is the only place that fits the rhyme, and it fits exactly. Rin is definitely the place. I know it is."

Zan still looked doubtful about this, but Vivi began to giggle again.

"Isn't it funny?" she said. "You came all the way here from Rin, and now you don't' even have to go that far to get back! Ooh, I wonder what you're supposed to go looking for there? I bet it's going to be amazing."

"That is, if they can get into the compound in the first place," Thora pointed out. "The gates are watched at all times, and only guards with certain permits are allowed in or out. There have been too many attempts at revolts in the recent past. Too many clever slaves in disguise slipping through the cracks. Zeel was not the first to bluff her way in or out of the place, and she was far from the last. After all, _someone_ showed us all that it could done, with a bit of caution."

Star and her mother nodded sadly at this. With a series of lies and a little lamp grease, Zeel had fooled her people perfectly. She had smuggled three people into that compound all by herself, and then escaped with them and three others. That had not been a proud moment for the last Titan of Fire, who had certainly made it impossible to get in or out of the place. The salves inside stayed inside, and the common folk who might want to help them were kept well away. The only ones who came or went were the guards who supervised the compound, who spoke very little about anything or anyone on the inside.

Zan shook his head. "I doubt that my brothers or anyone else on my squad could get clearance," he said. "We are a Night Watch squad. If one of us asked for a permit for any reason, everyone would be suspicious. Also, it would take weeks for the proper forms and such to be processed. Getting a permit could take more than a month, and Star seems to want this done right now."

"I do," she agreed. "I would go and do it today, if I had a way. But there _must_ be a way into Rin. Hundreds of years of clever people must have left something behind..."

Vivi hummed to herself ad scratched her head. "Actually, I think I might know a way in."

Everyone turned to her in disbelief.

"How is that?" Zan demanded.

"Well, it's through the sewer system. Oh, I know all those tunnels super good—I grew up in there, you know. And they all connect to each other, all through the city. And I'm pretty sure there's a tunnel that goes into Rin. I've never gone down that way, though, so I can't be sure. But I can take a look at it, if you want."

Star fought down the bright hope that had filled her. If Vivi was wrong, the disappointment would be crushing. "You would do that?" she asked.

"Sure! I'm getting to help solve a riddle!" Vivi cheered. "This is the best thing I've ever done in my whole life! I'm happy to help. But Zizi's gotta stay here a while, 'cause I don't like him being down there. The sewers are a great place to hide, but they aren't very nice."

"People hide in the sewers?" Zan asked.

"Sure. Lots of people, all the time. Why? Didn't you know that?"

Zan was silent, and Vivi tilted her head to one side.

"You didn't know that?" she asked.

"No, it had never occurred to me," he answered. "Who on earth would want to hide in the sewers? It's disgusting! Leah would faint at the very idea."

Vivi shrugged. "I just know it's lots of people, and a great way to get around the city. I do it all the time. So yeah, I'll check out this tunnel of mine, and see where it goes. If it's what I think it is, it should go right under Rin." Then she giggled again. "How can you not know about it? Boy, you guards really don't know anything, do you?"

Dumbfounded yet again, Zan broke away from the group to pace by himself in frantic confusion. It was all far too much for his very logical mind to grasp.

"It's worth a try," Star decided. "Everything has fallen into place so perfectly so far. I think it is a sign that we're on the right track. And if Vivi's tunnel does lead into Rin, I'm going to take it."

Forley huffed to himself. "You still speak as if you were going alone. And after all the _we's_ and _us's_ I've been throwing around. Honestly, Star, you ought to know better by now. If Vivi's tunnel does lead into Rin, of course I am going with you. Alanis and Leah would say the same, except it is still impossible for them to go outside. Not to mention my sister would rather die that hike around in a sewer system."

Zan paused his pacing to look up at them. "He's right, you know. In that case, it's only right that I go with you, in their place. Besides, even if I don't care for all your talk of elements, three is closer to four and that will probably comfort you."

"Hey!" Vivi snapped. "I'll be there too, and that _does_ make four. Who did you think was going to lead you? You don't know the way."

In spite of all her fears, Zeel had to smile at this. "And one of you for each element," she commented with approval. "It certainly has a touch of destiny about it."

Zan rolled his eyes and returned to his pacing. Star sank back into her chair and sipped her tea, thinking it all over for herself. How much better it was, having good friends to help her, than to do so much on her own. And how much better to just accept it, than to fight it in a vain attempt to protect them. It had taken her father years to learn it for himself; but she had simply known it by knowing his story.

_And he always did warn me not to push friends away when I'm in trouble,_ she remembered with a smile of her own. _Not that he could have guessed I could ever be in so much trouble, but I will take his warning to heart, all the same. I've felt the last several days that I've ruined his life; but I can honor him in this way._

As usual, it wasn't much of a plan. But it was a start, and they had made it together. For now, that was all that mattered.

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None of that was enough for Zan, though. As he and his brothers climbed the Southside wall for their usual shift, his mind was still reeling over what had happened, and how he had gotten so deeply involved in it. He hadn't mentioned any of it to them yet, fearing they would think him foolish and irrational. He knew they wouldn't, but that fear still picked at him all through the long night.

As those hours passed, Zan watched as Zamiel hovered around each member of their squad, whispering to them urgently of plans and messages. The eldest of the Garased brothers was anxious, and the youngest of them wasn't surprised. The first official gathering for the revolution was only three days away, now. It was a lot of time for things to go wrong. If any member of squad C-57 faltered or backed out, the whole thing could fall apart.

And Zan quickly found that this was exactly what had happened. Zirita appeared beside him in the dark, staring blankly out toward the horizon, and then spoke in a low voice.

"Zamiel asked me again if I would be there. I told him again that I would not. This is the fifth time we've discussed it, though I doubt you know of it. He should have said something to you."

Zan looked up at the woman in surprise. "Why not? You promised, with the rest of us."

Zirita sighed. "I didn't know I would be married between then and now. It will be impossible to sneak around my husband, I'm afraid."

Zan supposed he could understand that. Not long ago, Zirita had woken up to learn that their master had given her in marriage to a man she had never met before. It had been decided without either of their opinions that it was a good match, and that their children would make fine soldiers. And so she had mournfully left her own love, and focused all her attention on being someone's wife. It was a distraction from how hurtful the arrangement had been. She carried on as best she could; but behind her blank face, she was plainly heartbroken.

The rest of the squad knew little about this man, and it bothered them all. They knew that his name was Korus, and that he worked with official papers in an office, and that was the extent of it. Zirita barely knew him, either. She saw very little of him, because they worked at very different times. And when he was home, he seemed disinterested in her. He hadn't made any kind of effort to know the rest of them, as her lover, Misha, had for years. That made them all suspicious.

Now that she was married to someone else, Zirita had pushed Misha away entirely. She said it was only right; but the rest of the squad felt differently. Misha was a friend to all of them. He and Zak met at a nearby pub to play cards at least once a week. He looked after Zane's children, when he and his wife were out. He had watched Zan grow up. Moreover, he had promised wholeheartedly to be at Zamiel's big meeting. They had no plans to cut Misha out of their lives, and they all wondered how Zirita planned to deal with this.

And Zan couldn't help but point this out.

"Misha will be there, you know," he said.

Zirita gritted her teeth. "All the more reason why I shouldn't go, then. I'm married now, Zan. I may not like it, but the least I can do is be faithful."

"Then bring your stupid husband with you. Perhaps he will join us."

"That is out of the question. He signs papers for the queen, herself. It is far too dangerous."

"How can you know that? You hardly know a thing about him. For all you know, he longs for freedom as much as the rest of us. If he works in the palace, he could be a valuable ally."

"Or he could be perfectly content with his place in the world, a dutifully tattle on us the moment he learns something is going on. I can no longer be a part of this; but I won't put your brother or our friends in danger. It's for the best. Zamiel refuses to see it now, but he will figure it out soon enough. You understand, don't you, Zan?"

He wanted to answer no, he didn't understand in the slightest. But he knew how little good it would do. Of the ten of them, Zirita was the least sturdy through no fault of her own. She hadn't been bred to be clever and strong, as the rest of them had; she had been taken as a child, and forced to learn the ways of Central Control. She had learned them, sure enough, but it didn't suit her. She was a quiet and weak-willed woman, a poor excuse for a soldier. The rest of them loved her; but if they said her flakiness didn't annoy them or hold them back from time to time, they would be lying.

Now that Zan was familiar with _Rowan of Rin_ , it dawned on him suddenly that Zirita was an oddity among them. In fact, she was very like Rowan, himself. She was their weak link. But that also meant that she could probably do things that the rest of them couldn't. Things that wouldn't seem important, until her moment of truth finally came. Zan had mostly been annoyed so far with how forlorn she had become; but now, strangely, he felt compassion.

"Of course I understand," he said, instead of what he had wanted to say. "Well, we will all miss you. Will you at least let us tell Misha that you say hello?"

Zirita paused while she thought about this. "Yes, I suppose so. I can't say I don't miss him… Or that I don't still care very much for him…"

"I still think you should tell him so, yourself."

"I wish I could. I wish it terribly. But if I'm seen carrying on with a common man, rather than tending to my chosen husband, we will all be in trouble. It's all just so risky… It is something I must figure out for myself, and I am afraid that no one can be of help to me."

"The rest of us would be, if you would only let us."

Zirita pinned him with a look. "I can't," she repeated. "Can't you just accept that I can't? How many times must I tell you people? I would give my help gladly, but it is now impossible. You must let it be, Zan. Of the three of you, I would have thought that surely you would have the sense to agree with me."

Zan opened his mouth to say something, but then shut it. She was right. Zamiel bounced around with his brilliant ideas, and Zaneth sulked in corners while doubting himself; but Zan had always fancied himself to be the reasonable, sensible, logical one. But that had changed, somehow, since he had become friends with Star. Especially after today, he had no choice but to try believing in the impossible.

So he smirked at Zirita and sighed. "Yes, I was that person, not so long ago. I'm afraid I'm not that person anymore."

Zirita returned her gaze to the horizon, appearing as stiff as a statue. "I'm sorry to hear that, Zan. I should have liked a solid place to stand on. It seems to me that I am alone now."

Again, Zan opened his mouth, and changed his mind about insisting she was wrong. It was plain to him that she wouldn't listen, no matter what he said. All he could do now was hope that her outlook would turn around, somehow.

In the meantime, he tried to think of the morning. Vivi was perhaps exploring the sewer tunnels beneath the city even now. She would return with an answer for Star as soon as the sun rose, he was certain. He planned to be there as soon as it happened. He was determined to go with Star and Forley on their latest adventure, even if it meant going without sleep for a day, a night, and another day. In fact, though he still wasn't sure how he felt about riddles and magic anymore, he found himself excited to see what would come next.

They only had the first half of the rhyme figured out, after all. They knew the place they had to go; but what of the priceless aid, hidden where secrets lie? What would it turn out to be? What important, dangerous secret could be guarding it?

Zan gazed with Zirita toward the horizon, willing the sun to rise faster. Alas, the moon shone brilliantly overhead, a mere sliver away from being full, and the stars painted the sky with pictures. Dawn was a long way off. But it would come, soon enough.

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_Afterthoughts…_

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Zirita and Misha and Korus are all a part of a delightful side-storyline, not unlike June's. You may remember Misha's name from _Dragon Queen_ , when Zan began randomly blurting out names of people who seemed inconsequential at the time. Ofelia was one of them, and she has turned out to be quite consequential, hasn't she? Well, they will all get a chapter to themselves in a little while, because their business has turned out to be more important than I had planned it to be.

I have many plans. And plans within those plans. Not unlike _certain_ people. XD


	8. The Hidden City

_Chapter 8: The Hidden City_

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The following morning was the city's rest day. All businesses were closed for the whole day. Even the secluded fields were empty, because even slaves needed rest if they were to be strong and fit for hard work. Really, if Vivi's hunch about her tunnel proved true, there was no better day of the week to use it.

Star was certain that Fate had everything to do with it. As she, Forley, and Zan waited for Vivi to return, she decided to keep the thought to herself. Zan was her friend now, and he was excited about this new adventure. Putting him in a bad mood with talk of Fate and magic was the last thing she wanted to do. In any case, he was napping on a sofa in the second story common room, gathering his strength for the day ahead. He had been on watch all night, and run right to Bhlai House as soon as his shift had ended. He needed all the rest he could get.

While they waited, Zizi wandered into the room to join them, and stood gazing cautiously out the window for his sister. Every now and again he would sigh impatiently, drift around the room to touch things randomly, and then return to the window.

"She's been gone so long," he said sadly after this had repeated several times. "What if—you think she's been caught?"

"That's impossible," Star insisted, patting his head. "No one can catch Vivi, remember? She wouldn't be famous if it were that easy."

"She certainly is taking her time, though," Forley commented uneasily, looking out the window for himself. "It's nearly noon. What could be taking her so long?"

Zizi grinned suddenly and looked up at him with an idea in his face. "Maybe she—I bet she's with Keids," he said brightly.

"Who's that?"

"A pirate. He's famous, like us. He—he took us in. He taught her all the good stuff, too."

"What do you mean, good stuff?"

"How to flip and spin and hide and—and good stuff like that. He calls it—says its good stuff to know."

Forley crossed his arms and smirked, pretending for the child's sake to be impressed. "So, you were raised by a famous pirate, were you? And he lives in the sewers?"

"Um… I guess. It's good for hiding," Zizi answered plainly, as if he had explained everything, and went back to watching the street. Star and Forley exchanged a look over his head, and shrugged at each other.

"How big can this place be, if people are hiding down there?" Forley wondered.

"Real big," Zizi supplied, even though he hadn't been asked. "You'll see. Oh, look! She's back! Vivi's home!"

They boy's shouting and sprinting away had Zan awake in an instant. Zizi was squealing with joy as he ran off. Zan was rubbing his face and grumbling to himself.

"It's about time," he mumbled behind his hands. "I could spend the whole day like this, really; but that doesn't mean I _want_ to."

Star laughed over his grumpiness as she took his arm and hauled him to his feet. "If her idea has fallen through, maybe you can spend the rest of the day sleeping, after all."

"I hope not," Zan said in his serious way, pulling himself together and straightening his shirt. "I'm far too excited about today, now. Just think of it, Star—actually getting to do something meaningful, for a change. No codes or notes or clever secrets, or standing on a wall while staring at the horizon. Real action, for once. I still don't know how I feel about this magic of yours; but if this holds out, I'll never complain about it again."

Star watched him out of the corner of her eye as they climbed down the stairs together. "You had a lot of time to think about this last night."

"Well, there's nothing better to do, when one is on Night Watch. Nothing ever happens. But today… Today, something _will_ happen. And _I'm_ going to do it. It's exciting, don't you think? I mean, just imagine. Me! Doing things that matter! Oh, I can't wait."

Forley laughed, amused. "This is quite a change in attitude for you, Zan. Are you alright? You didn't eat anything strange before you fell asleep, did you? You know what that can do to a person."

Now they were all laughing their way downstairs, but Zan punched Forley's shoulder. "If I wanted your famous father, I'd have stayed locked up in your village," he said dryly. "Don't lecture me. Let's just find out what Vivi's found!"

In the downstairs common room, they found Vivi being greeted with similar gladness by nearly everyone else. Zizi was hugging her ferociously, refusing to let go of her, chattering excitedly about Keids and many other people the rest of them didn't know. Zeel had taken a seat, waiting to hear all about how the girl's night had gone. Thora had brought her food, as she always did—mainly cakes with sugar icing, of course. Vivi could never explain herself properly without them.

"Yeah, yeah, the whole crew be perfectly fine," Vivi was insisting to her brother, with a strange accent they had never heard from her before. "Now come on, get off me, already. I haven't eaten in minutes!"

As Star, Forley, and Zan all came clattering into the room, the girl spared them a little interest.

"Oh, good, me hearties, you're all here, too!" she said. "Come on over. I'll even share me cakes with you. I got all kinds of good stuff to tell ya!"

It was plain from her change in speech that she had, in fact, spent some time with pirates in the night. She sounded just like Star had always thought a pirate should sound. When they were all seated around the low table, and Vivi's mouth was crammed with food, she finally began to speak.

"Me tunnel turned out alright after all," she informed them with her mouth full. "Aye, it went right under the compound, just like I said it would! _Arr_ en't ye proud of me?"

Zan stared at her flatly. "I'd be a little more impressed if you could speak like a normal human being, please."

Vivi swallowed her cake and made a face. "But I _am_ doin' that. What _arr_ e ye talking about? Oh wait… That's right…"

Zizi turned and smiled at them. "See? I told you."

"It's all Keids' fault," Vivi continued, cramming another cake in her mouth, but making an effort to sound like her usual self. "It happens sometimes. Anyway, I followed my tunnel all the way to the end, and it leads right into the middle of a road, right in the middle of Rin, just like I thought it might. Since no one was around, I even popped out and took a look around. It's all good! It's definitely our way in."

"You looked around?" Star asked. "What was it like?"

Vivi shrugged. "I don't really know. It was dark, and there wasn't much to see. I know there was a road, and I know there were lots of sad little houses, and I know there were fields and fields that went on forever and ever. But there wasn't much to look at in the dark. Sorry."

Star sighed to herself. "Oh well. I guess there isn't much to see in the daylight, either."

"There isn't," Zeel agreed. "I've seen it, myself, after all. What else happened, Vivi?"

"Oh, nothing much," the girl continued. "I only stayed there a little while, since it was so boring. I just wanted to make sure it was the right place is all. But I spent the night with our old guardian and his gang. They're all pirates, you know. That's why I'm talking kind of funny this morning. Sorry about that."

"So," said Star, "you'll show us the way, won't you?"

"Of course I will," Vivi agreed right away. "I said I wouldn't, didn't I? Just let me finish these cakes. I haven't eaten rightly since yesterday, and Thora's got me all spoiled now. Trash cakes aren't halfway as good as the kind you buy with money."

Zizi nodded brightly and helped himself to a cake, as well. Of course the two thieves did alright for themselves, even though they supposedly lived in an old box, somewhere in the slums. Recently, however, it seemed that they were slowly being tamed, growing accustomed to sturdy walls and warm meals and people worth returning home to. As if they were stray animals, tempted with meaty bones and saucers of milk, and taken in off the streets. Which, in a way, was exactly what they were.

Vivi had always been proud of how independent and capable she was. She was also generally suspicious of adults, and the very thought of asking one for help made her angry. But even she was starting to understand that having friends to count on wasn't at all such a bad thing.

While the two children munched on their cakes, Zan went with Thora to gather some things for their adventure. Star and Forley climbed to the third floor and entered the maze of hidden rooms, where Alanis and Leah waiting impatiently for them.

"We heard that Vivi came back," Leah commented when she saw them. "Zizi made such a fuss, it was impossible not to. So, what happened?"

"The kid's idea was right, after all," her brother informed them. "She was apparently _in_ the compound for a while last night. As soon as Zan feels prepared enough, she's going to show us the way."

Leah made a face. "Sewers and all?"

"Sewers and all. I know you hate to think of it, sister dearest, but this is our only chance. For an only chance, I have to admit that it's rather brilliant. In those sewers, we can walk unseen."

Leah rubbed her arm doubtfully, and Alanis shook her head.

"Not quite unseen," said Alanis, sounding nervous. "If Zizi's babbling is true, it's a lot of people to flounder through."

Star hummed at this. "He said something about it to us, too; but we weren't sure what he meant by it."

"Oh, it was all he could talk about before," Alanis grumbled. "It sounds like a small city of its own down there."

"Fugitives and the like have been escaping into the sewers in the hopes of sanctuary for many years, we've been told" Leah continued. "Wanted criminals, desperate slaves, pirates…"

"Pirates, pirates, pirates," Forley huffed. "It's all pirates with those two today."

"It sounds incredible," Star said thoughtfully. "A city of defiant people, living under the Dragon Lord's very nose. Hidden just out of plain sight. It has the beginnings of a new fairy story. I wonder what it's like?"

Forley chuckled and nudged her with his elbow. "You won't have to wonder much longer, small Star. I dare say we'll _be_ there within the hour."

Star felt strangely cheered by this. She was so curious, she could hardly contain herself. "I shall have to write about it one of these days. I would do it now… But if such a tale made its way around the city, the queen might be suspicious. She knows that papa's tale is true, after all. If another amazing story appeared in the same way, she might wonder if tales of people hiding beneath the city were true, as well."

"That is wise," Leah agreed, nodding in approval. "It would be a shame to undo the last safe place these people have."

Star nodded back, though she was already thinking of the words to begin this new tale. She could feel fantastic ideas gathering in her mind, too wonderful not to be written down. But she also told herself not to plan it too far in advance, before she had even seen the place. Soon enough, she would likely be running in fear through a crowd of the city's most dangerous people.

Indeed, no good story could go without that.

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Vivi began the journey by leading the company into a nearby alleyway. The narrow space was filled with empty boxes and crates, and a nearby garbage bin made the whole place smell badly. She went and stood proudly in the middle of the alley, pointing at a round metal plate in the pavement.

"That's our way in," she told them. "All they city's manholes lead down there, but not a lot of people know it. Oh, I do it all the time. It's easy! Come on, already."

She crouched and heaved at the plate with all her strength, and it slowly began to slide out of place. Seeing her obvious struggle, Forley bent to help her move the thing out of the way. Vivi scowled at him, not wanting his help, but she didn't complain, either. The plate was moved aside to reveal a gaping hole, leading down a tunnel and into darkness. Thick metal rung had been riveted to the side of the tunnel, meant to be climbed down like a ladder.

For a moment, the four of them stood over the hole and peered down as far as they could. The tunnel could have gone down, down, down, forever.

"These manholes are supposed to be for repairmen," Zan informed them. "Whenever there are blockages or damaged pipes, people can climb down into the sewers to make repairs. But it hasn't happened in such a long time…"

"That's why people like _us_ use them," Vivi supplied in her cheery way. Then she hopped down into the tunnel and began climbing down the ladder without any trace of fear. "Hurry up! We won't get to Rin by standing around here all day, you know."

She quickly disappeared into the darkness, leaving the others to hesitate before following her. Star went first, gathering up her courage before plunging into the unknown. Forley went next, unusually silent and grave, but always wary of letting Star go beyond his sight. Zan took a deep breath, trying not to think of all the laws he was breaking, before going in last of all. As he did, he reached for the metal plate and pulled it back into place over his head.

Star gasped in surprise as the daylight from above was suddenly blotted out. All at once, it was nearly pitch black. Somewhere below her, Vivi also gasped, but in pleasure.

"Oh, good, someone's here to get that for me!" she chirped. "I always have to do it myself. This is a great way to start out!"

Star doubted this at first, as she continued climbing down. As her senses adjusted to their new surroundings, though, she began to notice all kinds of things. For one, it was not as damp as she had expected. It also was not as dark as she had thought before. Rays of sunlight were streaming through holes in the metal plate above them; looking down, there was a faint light rising up to greet them. She could also hear a dull, far-off roar of voices and movement.

The smell was very nearly as bad as she had expected, though. It wasn't enough to make her choke or cough, but she did wrinkle her nose at it right away. Above her, Forley was groaning at it. She could almost hear him making a face.

"What an incredible smell you've discovered," he called down to Vivi.

"Yeah, isn't it great?" she called back, sounding all smiles. "Who in their right mind would think to come down here, am I right?"

In very little time, Star found herself standing on solid ground again, in the middle of a scene that surprised her very much. There was firelight all around her, from torches and oil lamps, and hazy smoke filled the air. There were people all around her, too, hurrying in every direction. There were shabby carts being hauled past her, flimsy tents of patched canvas, and even a few poorly assembled trader's stalls.

Everywhere she looked, marked people were going about their business, not very different from the marked people in the city above them. All these people were filthy and raggedly dressed, and had a gruff manner about them. Still, Star heard all the normal sounds of the city—noisy conversation, bad tempered vendors haggling with customers, children laughing and crying, animals barking, hissing, cawing, and all manner of other familiar sounds. All in all, it was hardly different from any other street in Habaharan.

While Forley and Zan joined them at last, Vivi planted her fists on her hips and took a deep breath of the fowl smelling air.

"Ah. It's always so nice to come home."

Without leaving her companions time to wonder at her, she stepped right into the crowded street and began marching in a steady direction. Fearing to lose her in the crowd, the rest of them darted after her, keeping their heads down.

Vivi was strolling pleasantly along with her head high, grinning smugly at everyone she passed. One or two people called her name from somewhere, and she looked up to smile and wave back. The others all wished that they could share her enthusiasm. Zan pulled his plain jacket around him and shivered a bit.

"I'm glad I changed before coming down here," he whispered to Star. "I don't think these people would like seeing a guard walking among them."

Star nodded in reply, too nervous to speak. These people certainly seemed to be on the fierce side to her. Many of them were towering, hulking figures, flexing their muscles and boastfully pointing out mighty scars to people who had offended them. More than once, the company marched past a brawl, where bystanders had clustered around to cheer and shout about bets. Lots of people had boldly colored tattoos covering their arms, legs, and even their faces. They all seemed enormous and frightfully dangerous.

Yet there was Vivi, walking among them as if it were perfectly safe. Even when she bumped into one such man and stumbled back, she just grinned up at him when he turned to scowl at her.

"Sorry, guy," she said innocently, holding her hands behind her back. To their astonishment, the fearsome looking man gave her a gap-toothed grin and patted her head.

"Stay out of trouble, kid," he told her firmly. "There's a lot of crazies out there."

"I will. Thanks!"

As the big man continued on his way, he surprised them again by tipping his tattered cap politely to Star. Aside from that, he barely acknowledged them.

"Who was that?" Forley asked once they were moving again.

"Oh, just a friend," Vivi answered unhelpfully. "Honestly, you three have _got_ to relax. There's really nothing to worry about down here—as long as you stick with me, that is."

After this, Star began to see the sewer people in a different light. As she continued watching the people around her, they did, in fact, seem less frightening than before. Now that she had seen kindness in them, she had begun to see it everywhere. There was a scar-faced man helping a couple pitch a tent. A rowdy looking woman comforting a crying baby. A pair of parents pulling their bickering sons part before they started another brawl. A magician entertaining a small crowd of motley people, of every size and shape the sewers could provide. A skinny young man helping a much stronger young woman hobble around on a crutch, while gazing at her with dreamy eyes.

Star tried to absorb this, but she found herself slightly confused.

"Vivi, I thought you said the sewers weren't a nice place to be," she said. "This isn't as bad as you made it sound."

Vivi shrugged. "Don't worry. There's plenty of trouble down here. All the time. Some places are really bad—the kinds of place people go and never come back from. There are no guards down here, which is great… But there's no one around to help when there's trouble, either."

"What's the difference?" Zan grumbled. "There's no around to help up there, either. It's a good thing my brother doesn't know about this place; all he'd want to do is fix it all by himself. It would drive him mad."

"Well he shouldn't worry so much. They get on alright down here. I mean, it's not as great at Thora's house, and it sure isn't as great as my box, but it beats being a plain old slave somewhere. There ain't nobody who's a slave down here."

" _Isn't_ ," Star corrected without thinking.

"Feh. You and your words and all."

Zan shook his head. "A place like this can't possibly stay a secret forever. These people are bound to be found out, eventually."

Vivi looked up at him and gave him her devilish smirk. "That's why it's a _secret_ , duh. People have been hiding down here since before any of us or any of our mamas or dadas were born. They'll all be okay. All you have to do is not tell your dumb brothers about it. That should keep them from going mad."

"Indeed, and that should please you, Zan," Forley agreed, winking at him. "It must be nice, knowing things that Zamiel has no clue of. Besides, he's always been so fond of not letting any one person know all his plans and secrets. It's been a peeve to us recently. Let's all keep something from _him_ , for a change."

Zan grinned and winked back. "That does sound like a plan to me."

As Vivi led them deeper and deeper into the sewer system, the crowds began to thin out, and the light became dim in some place. Even so, they continued moving forward—always forward, for there were few directions to turn. Every now and again they would pass another tunnel that led to more crowds of people. Some were filled with tents and other sad dwelling places, and others were filled with vendors, as if they were streets of their own. Still other tunnels led into inky darkness, which Vivi always hurried past as quickly as she could.

Such sights were always on their right, because the path on their left dropped directly into a channel of murky, slow-running water that reeked of filth and unseen things. Once or twice they passed a dock with a ferryman, offering to ferry people across the channel to the other side. The other side was exactly the same, as far as they could tell. The only difference they could see was that all the tunnel streets were on the left, rather than the right.

After marching forward for quite a while, Vivi dashed up to a ferryman and waved hello.

"Me again," she announced.

"Yes, you again," the ferryman said tiredly. "You're not going to keep me awake all night this time, I hope."

Vivi pouted at him, and dug in her pocket. "I have the right amount for toll this time," she whined, pulling out a handful of small round objects. It was hard to tell what they were in the dim light, but they appeared to be olive pits.

"See? Four to cross, and four to get back. Enough for all four of us. I had a real healer count them all for me."

The ferryman took what she handed him, and gave her a very doubtful look while he counted them for himself. Finally, he sighed tiredly and pocketed the toll.

"Welcome aboard," he said, gesturing to his raft. "Let's just have you on and off my craft as quickly as possible, young lady."

Vivi smiled her thanks and strutted onto the raft. The other all cautiously followed her, wobbling a bit as they stepped on board. The ferryman came last, casting off and paddling the craft across the channel with a long oar. He made a point not to pay attention to the party, keeping his gaze fixed on the opposite side nearly the whole time. He only glanced away once, to make sure Vivi was behaving.

Everyone was glad when that short trip was over, and they all hurried onto solid ground. Vivi and the ferryman were the only ones with any experience on the water; and the thought of toppling overboard, into that bad smelling water, was horribly unpleasant. They ferryman seemed glad to see them go, too.

"We'll be back soon, guy," Vivi told the ferryman.

"Yes, take your time, don't rush yourselves, I await your pleasure as always" the ferryman answered rudely.

"Don't worry about that guy," Vivi told her companions, as they went on their way. "That one is always in a bad mood—like Simon. But it's just where we had to cross. Oh well."

"What was that you paid him with?" Zan asked her.

"Oh, well, we don't have money down here, so we pay for stuff with olive pits. They're real valuable around here, you know."

Zan raised his eyebrow. "Why is that?"

"I don't know. Olives are valuable up there, so they're valuable down here. But they don't last very long; they get sour and spotty fast. But the pits last forever, so that's obviously the most valuable part… Ooh, I think I just figured it out! Yeah, that's got to be why. Anyway, I asked Thora for some before we left. She helped me count them, and Zizi helped me eat them, 'cause I don't like them very much. She didn't get it, either. No one knows _anything_ up there, even in the slums and places like that."

Not too long after they left the ferry behind, Vivi turned abruptly into the darkness of one of the tunnels. She stood in the last of the light and pointed ahead for the others.

"Here it is, everyone. It goes on for a while and winds around a bit, but this is the place. Not even the bad gangs hide around here. I think they're afraid of what's going on up above us. I guess I can't blame them. I guess I don't like it much, myself."

Star came to stand beside her and peered into the dark. It was eerily quiet and frightfully still. Anything could have been hiding in those shadows. But her goal was at the end of it, and so the unknown hardly bothered her as she knew it should have. She squared her shoulders and puffed out her chest, making herself feel a little braver.

"Well, here we are," she said.

Zan huffed to himself and dug around in the bag he had brought with him. "It's a good thing I thought to bring some torches. We'll be lost forever if we go running around in this darkness."

Vivi beamed at him. "That is a good idea! It would have been a lot faster for me if I had thought if it last night. But I did mark the right way, so we can find it in no time today. Oh, what fun this is! We really are on an adventure, everyone!"

Forley chuckled and patted her head. "Best to keep your voice down," he suggested. "Who knows what kind of people might decide to follow after us. In the dark, we could be easy prey."

"Of course, silly. That's what makes it an adventure."

"I agree with our shady friend," Zan grumbled as he lit a torch. "Adventures are all good and well, but I'd rather this one be as uneventful as possible. It would be nice to return home with our lives _and_ our skins still intact, if it's all the same as you."

Vivi pouted, but said nothing. Perhaps she was disappointed. Or perhaps she was unwilling to admit that Zan's idea was completely sensible. In either case, the two of them led the way into the darkness, the torchlight blazing a clear path before them.

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_Afterthoughts…_

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So, it's been well over a month, but the mothership has summoned me back a bit. If anyone is familiar with Final Fantasy IV, you may be intrigued by some of the work I've gotten done since my last update. If not, I'm sincerely sorry for disappearing like this. :/

This chapter has been redone twice, which has been frustrating to me. This is also the reason why it ends at 4.5K and doesn't get to where I had hoped it might. You'll just have to wait until next chapter to see how much Old Rin hasn't changed. ;D

HOWEVER. This chapter _did_ end up introducing some pretty major themes, as well as a character who is central to the plot of book 3. You haven't _met_ Keids yet, but… Picture Mr. T, as a pirate, pitying fools as only Mr. T can. You're going to love him, and his crew, and his very flamboyant daughter. XD

 


	9. The Spirit Remains

Normally, I would jump at an opportunity to reread _Rowan and the Zebak_ cover to cover; but, as we all have busy lives… D:

In any event, half of this chapter is epic flashbacks. Rapture and joy! :D

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_Chapter 9: The Spirit Remains_

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As Vivi had warned them, the tunnel wound away in what seemed like endless darkness. With the aid of Zan's torch, they spotted the marks she had left behind as easily as she had said they would. Any time they came to a crossroads, all they had to do was scan the floor for something shiny. A silver ring here, an earring there, or another of the girl's many treasures always pointed them in a steady direction.

Star laughed to herself about this. It had puzzled them all to no end that Vivi went everywhere with a small fortune in plain sight; when she was such a sharp little girl, it seemed unusually foolish of her. Zeel commented frequently that the child would be better off selling her precious things, and the rest of them were inclined to agree. Only now did it occur to Star that her small friend used her many stolen jewels to keep track of where she was, whenever she returned to the endless maze of the sewers. Perhaps she even did this in the city above. Perhaps she had even found other clever ways to use her things, if she was so crafty.

And so this went on until they seemed hopelessly lost, though it certainly appeared that they were alone in these tunnels. The only sound was their own footsteps, and the only light was from Zan's torches. Soon after he had lit the fourth one, Vivi halted them before another ladder of metal rungs in the wall.

"And now we go up. See? There's my necklace, right where I left it. I'll go first and make sure it's clear, okay?"

Leaving them behind, she scurried up the ladder and into more darkness. Somewhere high above them, they could see distant beams of light from a manhole. Those beams suddenly became brighter as the girl lifted the metal plate.

"It's alright," she called down to them. "Put that torch out and get up here!"

Star didn't bother waiting for Zan to put his torch out. While he grumbled that he had just lit this one, she was already climbing as fast as she could toward the light. As she drew nearer, the light nearly blinded her. She could also taste clean, fresh air from the opening above; it drove her to climb so fast that she nearly slipped. In very little time, she was pulling herself into daylight and open space. It was so good to be out of the sewer, at last. The temptation to flop down on the ground and lie still in the sun was overwhelming.

Instead, while she waited for Zan and Forley to follow, she took a look at where she was. She and Vivi were alone in the middle of a dirt road, which was completely deserted. And it was, in fact, alarmingly as if she were right back in Rin, where she had started. There were plain but sturdy cottages on either side of the road, just as her father's people might have built them. Beyond these were vast fields of gold, green, red, and purple. Still beyond these were the tall, majestic forms of fruit trees.

Star could nearly picture her own house, just beyond those trees. She could imagine the road that wound alongside the orchard. She could hear her grandfather whistling to himself as he worked, unseen in the trees, while Forley chattered beside her. She was suddenly in another place, in another time that was not at all long ago. The sensation of being home was so strange, she wasn't sure how she felt.

_I wish Alanis and Leah could have come with us,_ she thought. _They would have liked to see this. They would have liked to feel as though they belonged somewhere in this city._

Forley and Zan came clambering out of the manhole while she thought of this, and she turned to see their faces. Zan was shifting his eyes in every direction, watching for danger. Forley, on the other hand, was gazing around in wonder, clearly sharing Star's feeling of suddenly being home.

"Where is everyone?" Zan wondered, and then shook his head. "Ah, yes. Rest day. Even the guards will be at their headquarters today. It's likely that most are even at home, in which case there will be fewer of them about. This is good for us."

"Huh," Vivi said in a louder voice than they would have liked. "So that's why all the houses are dark. They all look empty, haven't you noticed? The people must be sleeping or something."

"Yes, and let's leave them that way," Forley told her vaguely, still gazing around in wonder. "Please, keep your voice down."

Star hadn't noticed, and took an honest look at the houses around them. All the windows were dark, and no one stirred behind them. She had expected the buildings to look older, run down and falling apart, as her parents had seen them. It was clear where broken windows and caved-in roofs had been mended, but all these buildings seemed to be in proper order. It certainly wasn't extravagant, just functional enough for people whose only purpose was to rise at dawn and work until sunset.

_Of course it makes sense,_ she reasoned sadly. _This has always been a place for slaves to live. Rather than spare the expense to build new houses, Central Control has simply patched the old ones back together. And now Zebak people are being forced to live in exactly the same place as a people they once conquered. It must be a terrible insult to them._

She sighed over this, and changed her mind about wishing that Alanis and Leah had come. Leah would have been troubled, and Alanis would have been furious. They would have insisted on abandoning the mission, and done something rash to try and help these people. It was nothing less than what their own parents would have done, after all.

Star reached for the sigil and gripped it gently for comfort. Also for direction.

_Well, here we are, my friend. What are we to do next?_

The medallion began to grow warm, as she had hoped it might. Star braced herself for a new set of words to bubble up from her heart, but no words came to her. Something flickered in the corner of her sight, and she turned towards it. On the road just ahead, a band of hazy figures had appeared in her sight. They seemed solid and real enough; but if she looked hard enough, she could see right through them.

Her heart lurched at the sight, and she covered her mouth as she gasped in wonder and fear. Her companions all noticed this, and became concerned.

"What is it?" Forley asked. "Is someone here?"

"It's them—our parents!" she whispered, pointing toward the figures. "You can't see them can you…"

Everyone looked at where she was pointing. Zan made a puzzled face. Forley looked disappointed to not be able to see what she was seeing. Vivi grinned.

"Visions!" she squeaked. "This is so great! What's happening, Mahna—Star—whoever you are?"

"They're just…. Walking," Star answered blankly, still trying to take in what she was seeing. "Talking, too, but I can't hear what they're saying."

Forley sighed heavily. "That's just as well. We know what they said, because they've told us, themselves. Star, what is it like?"

"Like looking in a mirror."

This was truer than her cousin understood. He couldn't see this memory of his father as Star could, or how much they really did look alike. If Forley hadn't been right beside her, she might have thought that he had run ahead of them.

As she spoke, the ghostly vision of her own father turned a bit, and she saw his face clearly for the first time. The sight made her heart ache, and tears suddenly stung her eyes. She completely forgot her mission for a moment, as her guilt and regrets stabbed at her like a knife.

"He was just my age," she said quietly, almost to herself, and touched her own face. "I really do look just like him…"

Zan began to fidget uncomfortably beside her, and he hopped to his feet. He shaded his eyes and looked down the road, after the vision he couldn't see.

"There don't seem to be any _real_ people that way, either," he commented, trying to be helpful. "As long as the slaves remain asleep, walking unseen should be easy enough for us—as long as Vivi keeps her big mouth shut. What do we do now?"

Star was still gazing after her vision, battling with her many emotions and wishing that she could hear as well as see. But Zan's words had brought her back to the present, and back to Habaharan, where she really was. She began to think carefully about what the sigil had shown her, as her father had taught her to.

"There is a reason for this vision," she said slowly. "I can see them all walking together, but I hear nothing."

Forley hummed to himself. "So, you were meant to _see_ , not to _hear_."

Star climbed to her feet. "I think we're supposed to follow them. They will lead us to our next clue."

"The old man's old house," Vivi suggested. "It's where they were going, right?"

Star shrugged. "It is the exact place where all those bonds were broken, after all."

And so it was silently agreed that they, too, would walk together down the dirt road until they reached their next destination. Being the only one who could see the vision, Star led them swiftly and quietly through the silent settlement. Vivi came next, skipping excitedly most of the way. Zan and Forley stalked side by side, looking constantly every which way for signs of danger.

Minutes passed in tense silence, and nothing happened. Finally, just as Star was growing impatient, the vision began to fade. She looked around at all the houses around her, wondering which one they had been led to. It was easy to pick the place out. Though it was just like all the others, it stood out in her mind. There was an undeniable feeling of destiny about it.

_Norriss and Shaaran grew up in this house,_ she thought. _I wonder who lives here now?_

However, as she looked more closely, it seemed unlikely that anyone had lived there for quite some time. The house had been repaired like all the rest, but there were noticeable differences. Weeds had grown up all around it, and the windows were dingy; one of them was even cracked badly. Ignoring her friends' worry, she went up to the cracked window and peered inside.

"The house is empty,"she told them. "Come and see."

They all crowded together to look inside, and saw that it was so. The one room they could see was sparsely furnished, as they had expected. There was a table and some chairs, all covered in dust. They could see an upswept fireplace, and an impressive spider web in the hearth. Aside from a feeling of destiny, there was also a feeling of loneliness.

Forley tried the door and found it locked. Star pushed him away, took out her knife, and went to work on the lock. It clicked open in short seconds, and she opened the door. Vivi began to giggle.

"Just like your mama," the girl pointed out as she strode into the house.

"She taught me a lot of things," Star agreed, and followed her in. Once they were all inside, Zan shut the door firmly behind them and brushed his hands on his pants.

"Alright," he said. "We're safe for now. And here we are, at last. Now what?"

Star looked around and wondered the same thing for herself. She had hoped that she might see another vision, pointing them in the right direction; but no new sight came to her. The sigil had gone completely cold. It had given her all she needed, somehow. She would have to do the rest for herself.

"Now that we're here, we're supposed to find something," she said, remembering the words of the rhyme. "Something important and useful. Something we couldn't buy, or find anywhere else."

Forley nodded at this. "Then we look around for something of interest. If it's so important, it can't be that hard to find. Everyone start searching."

Vivi squealed as she began darting around the room, delighted to be doing something she was so good at. The rest of them also began searching, peering into every corner and behind anything they could find. When they found nothing, they tried the few other rooms. After nearly half an hour of feverish search, they met in the first room with nothing but disappointment.

"Nothing but spiders and cobwebs," Zan complained, brushing dust off his shoulders.

"And lots of locked doors," Forley added, scratching his head. "That was an unusual surprise."

"So what?" Vivi asked. "Star can pick the locks, just like she did before."

"Not that kind of lock, I'm afraid. I noticed them, too," Star agreed. "Nearly every lock I've seen was a combination lock. Norriss uses them for everything at home, so Forley and I know quite a lot about them. The combinations are made of letters that spell out a word. The right word will open the lock; but you are given lots of letters to choose from, that could spell many words. It's a clever device, and we know how to crack all the ones Norriss has come up with. Here, it is a different matter."

Zan dug in his pocket and pulled out a faded scrap of paper.

"Do you think this has something to do with it?" he asked, handing the paper to Star. "I found it in a drawer somewhere. It made no sense to me, but…"

"What is it?"

"A list of some kind, and gibberish by the look of it."

Star looked it over, and Forley came to read it over her shoulder. Vivi looked at it, too, even though she couldn't read the words.

_1\. The ever present Only One._

_2\. She who guards the silent trees._

_3\. Take up your pipe and tell the story._

_4\. With spoon in hand, guide the wind._

_5\. Bite not the one that feeds._

_6\. The help and harm of all people._

_7\. Lose not this fruit of cheer._

_8\. Thus are those with might and power._

_9\. Taken, lost, and no longer here._

_10\. Your true and secret name._

"You see? Pure gibberish," Zan lamented, shaking his head. "Whoever wrote this was losing their mind. Either that, or they loved puzzles as much as my brothers do."

Star and Forley were grinning, however.

"I think that is exactly what it was," he said brightly. "These _are_ puzzles! Oh, I would know them anywhere, and so would Star."

Zan raised his eyebrow. "How is that? It's all nonsense."

"At first glance, it is," Star explained. "In truth, they are all riddles. When we were small, Norriss and Shaaran told us all kinds of riddles like these. In fact, they taught us almost all the ones on this list, and many, many more. The only one I don't recognize is the last one."

Zan was stunned. Vivi was thrilled, and clapped her hands.

"So you can unlock all the locks?" she asked.

"Certainly, except for the tenth one. I think the locks are even numbered, if I'm thinking correctly. Let's try it. The first one should be here, in the kitchen."

They all followed her into the tiny kitchen, where all but one cupboard door had been flung open. That last door was sealed shut by a lock with four letters. Scratched into the wood beside it was the number 1.

"Don't you see?" she said, pointing at the number. "All we have to do is match the riddle to the number. Then we use the answer to unlock the doors. Someone has made it very easy for us."

Zan groaned and rubbed his eyes. "Oh, I can't stand puzzles. All they do is take up time and get in the way. Even if you know all the answers, matching them all to their proper locks will take ages! Can't we just beat the doors down and save ourselves a load of trouble?"

"And wake the neighborhood with all that noise?" Forley scoffed, starting on the combination. "I thought this mission required stealth."

Vivi stood on her toes to watch him. "What's the answer to this one?" she asked.

"The Only One," he answered simply. "And the word is only four letters. Even you could figure it out easily."

Star laughed. "She doesn't know _Unos_ like we do, though."

Surely enough, the name of their beloved grach undid the lock with a clicking sound. Forley opened the cupboard, only to reveal a stack of clay bowls. He took them out and went through them, and then through the cupboard itself. There was absolutely nothing else to see there.

"Oh well," he sighed. "We might have known it wouldn't be that easy. Onto the next!"

As Zan had complained, finding all the numbers took some time. Even when those locked doors were opened, nothing of consequence was found. _Bear_ opened a drawer with a rusted key inside. _Song_ and _stir_ both opened trunks, filled with moth-eaten clothes; the others were all disappointed by this, but Vivi gladly snatched up every shirt and pair of trousers she could find. _Hand_ opened another drawer that was completely empty. _Fire_ opened a cabinet filled with unusable matches and candles, which was so unimaginative that it nearly hurt. _Hope_ , _vain,_ and _gone_ all opened other cabinets around the house, where nothing was found but ordinary odds and ends—needles and thread, a tangle of wire that once might have been jewelry, painting supplies, a whetstone, a scrap of flint.

The four of them turned the whole house over as quietly as they could, searching for all the locks. Being the smallest and nimblest, Vivi had gone up the flimsy stairs to search the attic, only to return and say there was nothing there with a lock at all. She hadn't even found anything there worth taking for herself. In the end, however, all the locks had been accounted for and opened.

All of them, say for the tenth. Finally, they gathered again in the first room and puzzled together over the last riddle.

"Who's to say it would matter?" Forley wondered. "Star and I have never heard this riddle before and don't know the answer. We couldn't open it, even if we did find it."

"That is a kind of blessing, then," Star added, staring at the list. "The tenth lock will be the hardest to find, and take the longest to open. Almost certainly, that is where our goal lies. This mission has been dangerous, but surprisingly easy so far. We had to be challenged sometime."

Zan groaned again and pressed his thumbs into his temples. After all their searching and not finding what they were looking for, his excitement was quickly fading into annoyance.

"Come on, Zan, don't lose the fruit of cheer so easily," Star teased. "You may not have a head for puzzles; but you may have noticed that Forley and I are better at them than most. We've been taught to be, and for good reason. We'll figure this one out. I'm sure of it."

Forley nodded in agreement. "And we will do it the way we always have. Now then, let's think about this. 'Your true and secret name'. What can that mean?"

"Well," she said, "it might mean many things. I have many names. Star is the one my parents gave me. I go by Mahna here; but it is only the same word in a different tongue, so it truly is my name, too. Unos and the bukshah and every other creature I know calls me Small Star, as if it were my name."

"Perhaps, but I could say most of the same for myself," Forley pointed out. "So could anyone else who happened upon this riddle."

"Wait a minute," Vivi interrupted. "What about the old man, huh? He didn't leave the riddle for you."

"That is also true," Forley agreed. "None of these riddles were meant for just anyone. This was Thiery's house, and so I can only assume that he came up with all the combinations, himself. He wouldn't have needed to write down the answers. He would have wanted to write them down for Shaaran and Norriss, though, so they could still get into their own things if something happened to him."

"But he wrote them in code, so that no one else would understand them," Star continued. "And our aunt and uncle did know all the answers, after all. Perhaps we should try and understand the riddle from their eyes, then. But what other names do they have?"

"And why did they never mention this one to you?" Zan added sourly. "You said yourself, they told you many more puzzles than on the ones on the list. So why not this one?"

Star looked again at the list, gazing longest at the last one, and sighed sadly. "Perhaps they never figured it out, either. And we can't find the tenth lock anywhere. They might not have ever needed to think of it, and so forgot about it."

Forley clicked his tongue and made a face. For a split second, he looked remarkably like his mother.

"I just don't know. Something about this doesn't seem quite right to me. Not when a true name could mean so many things to any one person. I don't think we're looking at this properly."

Zan lost his patience and stamped his foot. "Well, we don't have all day to figure it out," he snapped. "We've already been here for a long time, and the sun will be setting soon. Rest day won't wait on us, you know."

Star gulped and began to pace, nibbling anxiously at her thumb. She was at a loss, and time was running out. So was her own patience. Not sure what else she could do, she gripped the sigil again.

_Forley is right. We are definitely missing something here. But what on earth can it be? Are you sure there isn't something else I should know?_

As the sigil warmed in her hand, it felt vaguely annoyed with her for asking its help again. Even so, a new vision flickered into her sight. This one was very different from the last, and at first she wasn't sure who she was seeing. It was a vision of an older man, leading a small child by the hand out the front door. The door was still shut fast, but the vision passed right through it, as if it were wide open.

Star had to blink before she understood what she was seeing. The man was Thiery, himself, a few strands of copper left in his fading hair. The child was a young Shaaran, perhaps only six or seven years old, but unmistakable.

She peered after the sight for a moment before moving after it, without bothering to explain herself. As she had hoped, her companions all followed her without bothering to ask what she was doing. They cautiously crept out into the daylight, as Star followed the vision around the side of the house.

And, to her astonishment, she could hear what those memories were saying.

" _It grieves me that this must come to you so early, dear one, but you must understand. You will understand, in time. For now, it is enough that you see for yourself, so that we may begin."_

" _See what, grandfather?"_

" _Hush, dear one. We cannot be seen or heard by anyone."_

Star suddenly had an idea of where she was being led this time, but stopped herself from jumping to conclusions. However, her suspicion proved right, after all. The vision faded away at the crumpled doors to a cellar. Both doors hung on their hinges, already part way open, without a lock or chain to secure them.

"We need to go inside," she said simply.

Zan and Forley wordlessly came forward and eased one of the doors aside. The wood creaked heavily and the hinges squeaked faintly, sounding treacherously loud in the stillness. They two boys went down first before calling the two girls after them. The cellar was dark and dusty, and smelled faintly of vegetables left to rot in a daring escape so long ago. Besides this, the little room was empty.

"Why did we come down here?" Vivi asked, keeping her voice down for once.

"That is a good question," Forley agreed, glancing at Star.

Star didn't answer, for the vision has returned as she thought it might. There stood Thiery and Shaaran once again, beside a gaping black hole in the wall. In his arms was a familiar, long wooden box.

" _This work did not suit your mother. Nor does it suit your brother. It always suited your father, and it will suit you, as well. He had dreamed of the day when he might teach you to carry on our secret work… Things being as they are, it seems that I must teach you, myself."_

The memory of Shaaran reached out to touch the box for the first time, little knowing how valiantly she would guard it in years to come. For now, though, her young face was confused and filled with sorrow. She shook her head and began to cry.

" _I want dada to come back and teach me."_

" _I will teach you in the way he would have wanted. That must suffice for us all. Let this be your first lesson, Shaaran: our secret treasure is hidden here, where no eye may find it. It is a secret you must guard with your life, from now until the very end. Do you understand me?"_

The vision began to fade once more, with the child nodding her head bravely, though she plainly didn't understand at all. Then there was nothing to see there, except for the gaping hole in the wall.

Now that the vision was gone, it seemed to Star that the cellar was darker than before, even with sunlight flooding in from above. Curious, she took a few steps toward the hole and tried to see as much as she could without getting too close. Who even knew what might be lurking down there?

"This was where they hid the silks," she commented. "They were hidden here for generations, and no one ever suspected it."

Forley walked past her and peered down into the hole. "A good place to hide things, for sure. I'll bet tomorrow's biscuits that the silks weren't the only things kept down here."

Zan joined him in looking down the hole, leaning against the edge of the wall. "It looks like it could have been a well once. It must go down at least ten feet."

Forley shrugged and also leaned further into the hole. "It doesn't sound that deep."

Zan narrowed his eyes at him. "What would you know of it? I'll bet a whole _arin_ on ten feet."

"I'll match that bet on six feet, at best."

Satisfied that the hole was empty, Star also joined them in leaning inside. Now all three of them were pressed against the edge, looking down as far as they could.

"I can't see a thing," she muttered.

"That's the idea," Forley drawled back. "If you don't want things to be found, you put them someplace where people can't see it."

Zan scoffed at this. "You see, if it were only six feet deep, we might be able to see something."

"That proves nothing. Six it is, you may depend upon it."

Star tried not to laugh at their bickering. After the vision she had seen, she wanted to feel more solemn. That was hard, when her company was so amusing.

And then, all at once, the wall gave way. What happened next remained a mystery to Star for the rest of her life, because it happened so fast that no one remembered it. One second, she had been standing on her own two feet with Forley and Zan, leaning over the edge of the weakened, crumbling wall. Next second, all three of them were tumbling down into the darkness in a heap of stone, mortar, and unpleasant surprise.

There was a sharp pain in her leg, and a duller pain in every other part of her body. Aside from this, she knew no more.

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_Afterthoughts…_

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This story had gone on for far too long without a surplus of puzzles. I resolved to amend this. If you have questions, feel free to ask. I came up with all but the all-important tenth one on the spot; I also gave the answers in order, so you can match them up easily. ;D

Somehow, an equally short chapter as the last. I just don't know how this is happening… Well, enjoy a double update this time around, as it might not happen again for a while.


	10. Rest Day

Aw, what? You wanted to know what happens to Star and company next? WELL TOO BAD! *evil laughter and lightning*

I had promised that I would cut scene back to some other characters, because some of them are up to important things. After all, Zirita, June, and Zeel all have urgent issues to be addressed—all of them revolving around a certain icky general, because he is _obviously_ the center of the universe. :P

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_Chapter 10: Rest Day_

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While the rest of the city was enjoying its rest day, Zamiel was secretly hard at work. He had far too much to do to lie around in bed all day, as he would have liked to. The meeting was only three days away, now. His whole focus for the day was on checking in with those who had volunteered to be there. And he still had to find a clever way to get June Barsa there, because he couldn't stand the thought of her missing it.

All of this he explained to Zeel and Thora, when he came to see them as he had promised.

"June will be a useful ally," he told them. "She is unextraordinary enough to never be suspected of rebellion. This is her greatest advantage. Also, she works in the good general's house, and can keep the rest of the household well informed behind his back. Someone has to keep their hope alive. Who better than the unlikely sister of their master's favorite?"

Zeel hummed at this. "I look forward to meeting this child. I understand that she and Star are friendly. So, the puzzle is how to borrow her for a few hours at night without looking suspicious."

"I've come up with several ideas, but none that I like," Zamiel agreed. "I don't want to think up the answers to all the questions that will surely be asked. It must be simple. But I know so little of the girl, I don't really know where to begin."

"A puzzle, indeed," Thora said thoughtfully. "The Barsa girls, you say? I believe I remember June from when she was a child…. Yes, yes, I do remember now. She had sprained her knee doing something, and her parents brought her here for a pain reliever. Dancing, I think they said. Oh, but that was all before they were taken. I haven't seen the girl since then."

Zamiel turned to look at the woman. "Dancing?"

"Yes, dancing. Apparently, the girl was taking lessons at one point, and had injured herself in class. Almost certainly those lessons came to an end long ago. She is a house slave now, and can't spare the time or expense."

"Dancing," Zamiel said again. "Now there's an idea…"

Zeel laid a hand on his shoulder before he could ponder his idea further. "She will not have danced in ages. Whatever you are thinking of, it isn't likely to work."

"Still," he insisted, "it is just the thing I need. With a little luck, I just might get her out of that house for a while. Stars know she deserves it. I have to give it a try."

Zeel still seemed doubtful. "Good luck, indeed, then. If you plan to deal with the general, you will need it no matter what you do."

"On that note," he asked cautiously, "how have things been between the two of you lately?

To this, Zeel crossed her arms and scowled furiously. "I wish that horrible man would die in a fire," she answered. "Our patience with each other is wearing very thin. As soon as the child is born and I can climb stairs, I'm going to join the girls on the third floor and never come down again."

"We have already discussed this," Thora continued. "For one thing, it will be easy enough to say that my guest has taken her children and moved away, or run away, or elsewise gone to make her fortune elsewhere. Azan will be bored at having to hunt for her, and he will lose interest right away. For another thing, if the child looks more like its father than mother, it will be impossible to hide for long. Not that we can know for sure, of course; but it has crossed both our minds several times."

Zamiel sighed and shook his head. "And here I was, thinking that I was in charge of something," he lamented. "I'm supposed to be the one making all the plans and knowing all the secrets."

"Well, you can't know everything," Thora teased. "We've all got minds of our own, after all. Zan would agree with me, if he were here."

"Yes, I suppose he would. Speaking of Zan, where is he? He ran off after watch, saying that he was meeting Star and Forley here for an errand, but he was very vague about it. What are they up to today?"

The two women exchanged a look, and then they shrugged.

"I'm afraid we couldn't tell you," said Zeel, looking genuinely sorry. "They left a little while ago, while we weren't looking. They did leave in an awful hurry, too. None of them bothered saying goodbye."

"They are running wild in the streets somewhere, being rash teenagers together, no doubt," Thora suggested firmly. "I wouldn't worry too much over them if I were you."

Zamiel didn't entirely believe them. It seemed to him that they were hiding something. He knew them too well to try and figure it out, though, and so he resolved to believe them for the moment. After all, what else could his youngest brother be up to on a day like this?

"What about those two little rapscallions you've taken in?" he asked. "Surely they've been by today."

"Zizi is in the upper rooms with the girls," Thora answered plainly. "I couldn't tell you where Vivi is, though."

Zamiel huffed to himself. "Stealing things from one of my comrades, probably. I've warned the rest of my squad to be on guard for dirty, adorable children; but not everyone knows better. If I know Zhena at all, she will fall into the child's trap perfectly. She just can't help herself when it comes to children."

Thora smiled. "Better to see a woman of Central Control with compassion in her heart, than with malice and anger. That woman would adopt every starving child in the city, if she could. Zhena Uman has a good heart. I've seen that much."

Zamiel had to smile, too. "I suppose I should be thankful for that, then. In all these cases, I should be off in a moment. It was good to see you both looking well."

Zeel clasped his hand warmly. "You should come by more often, young man. You've kept your distance since the children moved here, and it has saddened us both. We miss seeing you."

He laughed ruefully and sighed in pretended misery. "If Thora is to have her way, you will be seeing me more often than ever. She seems to want her home to be our headquarters. I think it is foolish, but there is little I can deny her after so many years. She has helped keep my brothers alive, and she is the one who introduced me to Ofelia. If it weren't for this good woman, my life would be very different."

Thora beamed and looked very proud. "Thank you for noticing, Zamiel. I'm happy to have been so much help, and I am happy to help you in this way. If there is anything I can offer your cause, I will give it with a glad heart, which you know well by now."

Leaving Bhlai House always took more time than Zamiel ever counted on, because saying goodbye was always hard. Finally, goodbyes were said, and he partially forced himself to walk out the front door. It was tempting to stay longer, when food and cheer and good company were so hard to find elsewhere in the city.

But rest day would only last so long, and there was still much to do.

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Zirita found herself wandering the market alone. Though the stalls were empty today, it was a chance to make a mental list of things to buy in the days to come. With two incomes at her disposal, it was easier than ever to make sure that her pantry was stocked at all times. And even though she worked long night shifts on most days, she was still expected to dutifully provide for her husband. If he complained that she was neglecting him, she was likely to be punished.

All of this made her feel lonelier than ever. She hadn't even seen Korus once today, and had no idea where he was. In spite of that, she had decided to surprise him with a nice meal whenever he did come home. It might be a chance to actually sit down and have an honest conversation with him. She hoped she might even come to know something about him. Perhaps he would see that his distance was hurting her. Perhaps he would want to make their marriage work as badly as she did.

Or perhaps he wouldn't care about any of her effort, and continue to ignore her. This second outcome seemed far more likely to her, but she couldn't pass up an opportunity to try. She hoped that she would be surprised.

Zirita was lost in thought about these things, and she bumped into someone and stumbled back a bit. Before she could apologize, she jumped back in alarm. The person she had walked right into was none other than Misha—the one person she wanted most in the world to see, but also the person he feared most to face.

From his look of astonished surprise, their meeting was no accident. After all, he knew her better than most people, and knew where to find her. He had been in the empty marketplace looking for her. It made her heart ache so that she thought she would be sick.

"Rita…"

She hadn't heard his voice in weeks. Hearing it now brought tears to her eyes. She hadn't realized just how much she missed him. Because of that, she tore her eyes form his face and turned back the way she had come.

"I have to go," she said quickly, trying to slip away. She hadn't taken two steps before Misha caught her arm and pulled her back.

"Rita, wait. Please. I need to talk to you," he said.

"I can't," she snapped, yanking her arm away. "You know I can't. If I'm seen carrying on with another man, we will all be in trouble."

"I don't care. I must speak with you, right now."

Seeing that she was going to refuse without help, he took her arm again and hauled her behind one of the stalls. Being so close to him again was nearly more than she could bear, when all she wanted was to throw her arms around him and never let him go. To do this in plain sight would be deadly. Afraid that she might do that anyway, she refused to look at him. She crossed her arms and pouted, hoping that he would give up if she looked angry enough.

"Zak says that you've abandoned the others," said Misha, keeping his voice as low as possible. "He says you won't come to the gathering now. Please, girl, tell me this isn't the truth."

"It isn't my fault," she muttered back. "If that was all you wanted, you can go on your way. My mind can't be changed about this."

"But it is everything I want," he insisted, gripping her shoulders and shaking her. "I must change your mind somehow. You can't just give up like this."

"Yes I can." She shoved him away and dared to look him in the eye. "I can, and I must. The mission means too much to me to put it in danger like that. This is the only way I can protect them now. The only way I can protect you. Why do you people refuse to accept that?"

"Rita, you can't let these people do this to you. You are stronger than that. I know that you are."

Her pouting turned into glaring. "Do you think this choice isn't taking all my strength? Living this life every day takes all my will and all my courage. Is that weakness, then?"

Now Misha looked confounded. "Haven't you thought this is what Central wants you to think? Why, they've turned logic upside down and convinced you that it was your idea! Can't you hear what you're saying?"

"Of course I've thought of it, but what else am I supposed to do? I am only one person with no say over anything. It wouldn't matter. Zamiel is better off without me holding him back, and so are you. Misha, I am begging you, please move past this. There is nothing we can do to make this right. You must face it, as I have, and go on living your life without me."

"Zirita—"

Unable to help herself, she pressed her fingers to his lips and silenced him.

"I love you, Misha. I love you all, and I always will. That is why I must let you go. If you love me as you always said you did, you will let me go, too. You must, for all our sakes."

Misha looked heartbroken. Now, at last, she was sure that he would leave her and trouble her sight no longer. Now he could fade peacefully into nothing more than a pleasant memory, rather than be a constant temptation. He would be safe, and she would be miserable, and all her masters would be pleased and impressed with themselves for causing so much grief.

Instead of turning away, Misha dug in his pocket and pulled out a familiar book.

"Have you read this?" he asked, pressing the book into her hands.

"Ah, yes. _Rowan of Rin_. Of course I've read it."

And she could have told him many things he didn't know about it, too. He gripped her hands as they gripped the book, and he stared hard into her eyes.

"Then you know as well as anyone else: any lone person has all the power in the world to change their fate. One small boy saved the world once—many times. One small boy had more courage, and more strength, and more power than armies hundred of times his size. And here you are, a tall, strong woman of Central Control. How much more power do you posess? You are not unlike Rowan himself, in your own ways."

Zirita stared down at the book, feeling the weight of a frightening choice on her shoulders. She had never thought of this at all. The desire to hope again was overwhelming, desperate; but she was terrified at what might come of it.

While she hesitated, Misha placed his hand on her face and drew her gaze back to his.

"You say we should let you go, but we will not. You know we will not, whatever you say. Rita, please say you will change your mind. Say you will think on it, at least."

She placed her hand on his, savoring his touch. It had been so long since she had been shown affection like this. The fear of been seen became an afterthought, compared to this. It felt so right, and so sure, in the face of all her troubles. Finally, she had to sigh in defeat.

"Alright. For you, Misha, I will think on it."

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Rest day was all good and well for most people. June, on the other hand, was afforded no such thing. Her sister had heaped a mountain of extra work on her, and a day off was the perfect chance to catch up on some of it.

Tiba always punished her own family first if she could, proving to the whole household that no one was safe from her malice. Their master had noticed this, and was visibly impressed. He now let her strut around in fine clothes, and even allowed her a few simple jewels of her own. She was very pleased with herself these days, and fancied herself to be more popular than ever before. This only served to make the people around her despise her even more.

June didn't like to say that she _hated_ her sister, but… Well, if she said that she liked her sister very much, she would have been lying. It went far beyond bickering or rivalry or any kind of normal, natural behavior between siblings. June felt bitterly and rightfully betrayed, as everyone else did. In fact, though she completed every task she was given without complaint, she felt it more strongly every day.

On this rest day, June found herself in the dining room, polishing silverware. She was doing so quickly and quietly, humming to herself to pass the time. Otherwise, she was alone, and the room was pleasantly silent. She hadn't had time to herself like this in a while. Though this task was part of her punishment for doing nothing wrong, it was a rare treat. She had some time to think about her friend Mahna, and the coded notes they had exchanged recently, and the big meeting that was coming up.

She was still trying to think of a way to slip away unnoticed for it, but she had no ideas yet. If she got up and left in the middle of the night, her mother would notice it right away and ask what she was doing. Even if she managed to get past her mother, someone else would surely see her leaving. With her luck, that person would be Tiba. Getting away that night seemed impossible, but she was too excited to give up yet. She was determined to be there, somehow.

When voices came floating through the open doorway, June paid little attention to it. When those voices drew closer to the dining room, it was impossible not to overhear them.

"I still say it is an odd request, Garased," came the voice of her master. "But I find myself curious. I will allow it, if only for that reason."

"I appreciate your consideration, sir," answered a voice she didn't recognize.

"The girl will be in here, I believe," the general said carelessly, appearing at the door. "Speak your piece and leave her to her work, if you please."

June snapped her head up in surprise. They had been talking about her! What on earth did they want? What had she supposedly done this time?

The man who had come with the general seemed pleasant enough. Though he was dressed in a guard's uniform and wore the badge of a captain, he had an easy smile on his face. And he looked pleased to see her, even though she had never met him before.

"Greetings, miss," he said politely, striding to stand beside her. "June Barsa, I presume?"

June wasn't sure what to say. She nodded wordlessly, trying not to be afraid of him.

"Excellent!" he said brightly. "I am Zamiel Garased. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"

"No," she mumbled. Of course she couldn't turn him down. He could have her killed on the spot, if he so wished. Her mind whirled for something she might have done to earn so much attention.

"I understand that you used to dance," the captain said simply. "Is this true?"

"I… Yes, that is true," she stammered, quite surprised. "But it was so long ago… How did you—?"

"I learned it through a friend," the man answered, sitting at the table beside her. "Tell me, did you enjoy it?"

"I did, actually," she agreed, thinking back to her old lessons and sighing sadly. "I enjoyed them very much."

Now Zamiel looked very pleased. Excited, even. "I bet you were good at it, too."

June began to blush, and she looked away shyly. "Oh, I don't know… I was no prodigy to be certain. It was just a hobby."

Zamiel didn't seem convinced. "Show me."

June stared at him in shock. She hadn't had the time to think about dancing in years, let alone practice it. Still, it had been something she had been passionate about as a child. She had learned those lessons well. She wasn't sure how well she could perform all this time later, though.

"Come on, let's see you dance," Zamiel insisted when she hesitated.

"Come along, indeed, girl," Azan added tightly. "Give the man what he wants, so he can be on his way."

Frightened from her hesitation, June jumped to her feet and took the beginning stance she remembered best. Hoping she wouldn't look too awkward, she stepped into a simple series of steps, turns, and spins. She surprised herself by not being terrible at it. That sequence came back to her with ease, and she did it with a memory she had forgotten she possessed. For the first time in years, she felt graceful and beautiful. She finished by turning smoothly into a bow for the two men, feeling very satisfied with her forgotten skills.

She cautiously looked up to see the men looking surprised, as well. Azan looked astounded that one of his slaves had possessed a real talent all along. Zamiel was applauding by himself, enchanted.

"Well done," he praised, coming to stand beside her. He even put his mighty arm around her and hugged her. "I knew you had it in you. Stand up straighter, kid, there's a good girl. You see, sir, what did I tell you? You have a real opportunity on your hands."

Azan rubbed his mouth, thinking something over. "It's hardly as much as you made it out to be. I can't say I'm not intrigued, though."

"I'm telling you, sir, it would be a waste not to cultivate this. Just imagine it—the city's next great diva, her name in bright lights, famed throughout the empire, wealthy beyond imagination. And to think that she might have come from your own house! What do you think of that?"

June glanced between the two, wondering furiously what they had been plotting about her. All she had done was do a few simple twirls for them. There was little else she remembered how to do properly. And Zamiel was far too excited about it all. What on earth was going on?

Azan was thinking on Zamiel's fanciful idea, and after a moment he nodded in approval. "I must say, I do like the sound of that. Hm… Very well, I'll allow it. I will see about arranging a suitable teacher for her in the days to come."

June felt her heart leap into her throat. "You mean I can dance again?" she asked, overjoyed. And instead of snapping at her, the general gave her a smile. A coy smile, but a smile, all the same. He had never smiled at her once before.

"Certainly," he said evenly. "If you are to be the diva my captain likes to imagine, you will need training. You will need it swiftly, too. I may also have to find someone to replace you in the household, or at least cut your working hours back. From now on, your attention will be devoted to dancing and little else. How else are you to make me richer?"

The general's reasons for doing this were all completely selfish, of course. June didn't care. Having to leave dancing behind had been as hurtful as anything else. She had never imagined herself as a diva before, but…

If Zamiel was so impressed, perhaps it was a possibility. She was so happy she could have hugged him, and the general, and even her sister.

"Well, I'm glad that is settled," Zamiel said in his cheerful way. "That said, I have a proposal for you, sir. Your first opportunity to make some profit on this find. You see, the squad and I are holding a small party for ourselves in a few days, and had hoped to hire some entertainment for the occasion."

"Is that so?" the general asked, raising his eyebrow. "What occasion could be so special?"

"Several birthdays being celebrated late, I'm afraid. Yes, it must be a bit big, to make up for lost time. Well, then I heard that this young lady was a former dancer, and I thought to myself, that could be quite convenient. We serve the same accomplished general, after all. Best to keep our money within the family, you know? My, but I hadn't realized just how much talent you had on yours hands! I will pay you handsomely for her service, of course."

A look of sly greediness came over Azan's face. "I see, I see. When do you want her, then?"

"Three nights from now. I will come and collect her myself, and see her safely home afterward. I will pay you two _arin_ an hour, if it seems fair to you, sir."

Azan's eyebrows shot up in pleasant surprise. "Two _arin_ an hour? That is a lofty sum for so little skill. Nearly a week's pay, in fact. But yes, if I have such a diva on my hands, I suppose the price is fair enough."

"I had hoped and prayed you might agree, sir. It will be good for the girl, too. She needs to learn how to preform, after all. If I can provide her a way to begin, I am happy to do it."

Azan rubbed his hands together. "She can dance at all your parties, then, for a price like that. That is what I like about you, Garased. I don't normally care for a head full of shifty ideas, but yours have always been good ones. You've always had a way of saving me time and money, and I can't be angry at that. You are a large part of my successes, you know. Not a day goes by where I am not pleased to have you as a captain in my ranks."

Zamiel's answering smile looked sincere enough; but June had always been good at seeing through that mask. Many people of Central Control walked around with sincere-looking smiles like that, though ill will usually hid behind them.

This man was up to something. He had tricked the general, somehow. She wasn't sure how it had all been done, or why, or how she had ended up in the middle of it, but she knew it had happened. She decided that she liked Zamiel even more than she already did.

"Well, there it is," Azan said at last. "Finish with that silver, girl, and be quick about it. We have much to do now. Garased, I find myself busy, all at once, and trust you can find your own way out."

"Certainly, sir," the man agreed, nodding respectful farewell as the general strode out of the room.

Once they were alone, June looked up at Zamiel with wide, shining eyes. She felt that she could be more casual with this man than most, and so she gave him the widest grin she had grinned in years.

"I can't tell you what this means to me, sir," she said in a shaking voice. "Thank you so much!"

He laughed lightly and winked at her. "Well," he whispered, "we had to get you to the meeting somehow, now didn't we?"

June gasped, and her hands flew over her mouth. So that was what all this had been about. Zamiel held a finger to his lips and hushed her gently.

"Don't tell anyone. I'm counting on you, June Barsa."

She nodded eagerly, feeling full of knowledge and excitement. "You can count on me."

"Good," he agreed. "This looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

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_Afterthoughts…_

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Zirita and Misha are adorable, and I only regret that their full story is not exactly PG-13. Most of my backstories concerning these people are not. I just couldn't help skipping back to them for a minute, because I have had that conversation plotted out for months. I can't write much about them in this story, but I felt that moment worthy of note.

Also, June and her dancing are going to be a regular and important thing from now on. It's funny. I don't even remember where she came from, though her place in the story reminded me distinctly of Solla the sweets maker at one point. She was only supposed to pop up every now and again and say very little, just to remind the audience that there are other people in Habaharan, living lives and doing things and being worth fighting for. And then I couldn't get her off my mind for about a week a while back, and she suddenly became a rather major minor character. Now, I would even go so far as to say that her part in the story is a pivotal one. She turned out to be so plucky and brave, I couldn't _not_ do something with her. :D

(Vivi and Zizi were very much the same in the beginning, until I decided that Leah should become weirdly attached to them. Now look at them. :P)

And now, back to our regularly scheduled adventure…


	11. Your One True Name

For those of you it may interest, a reference to Star Wars, and a reference to Five Nights at Freddy's is in here somewhere. ;D

I've been looking forward to this moment, because I've been building towards it for the better part of two years. I am, perhaps, overly excited for this reveal. 8D

Also, STAR OF DELTORA IS ON ITS WAY THE GLITTER SO PRETTY I CAN'T EVEN I'M DEAD

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_Chapter 11: Your One True Name_

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Star began to stir at the sound of her name being called from far away, and to a terrible, sharp throbbing in her leg. The pain brought her to her senses faster than she would have liked, and she couldn't help crying out. The more awake she became, the more she felt the pain, and the more her whole body ached.

It seemed pitch black, and she couldn't see a thing in any direction; but she knew the voice calling to her at once. It was Zan, wide awake at her side, rousing her as gently as he could.

"Are you alright?" he asked when she cried out, sounding truly worried.

"I think my leg is broken," she gasped. "Where is Forley?"

"Coming around. Here, let me take a look at that."

Star felt rather than saw him shifting toward her legs. He touched each in turn, feeling for the injured one. He only had to barely touch her left leg to send lightning bolts through her, and she yelped again. Her father's people would have been disappointed in her for showing what they thought of as weakness. Here in Habaharan, she was glad that the Zebak were practical enough not to care. She was clearly hurt badly, and she wasn't trained in the ways of Central Control. Of course she should cry out in pain. There was no point in pretending that she was alright.

"Oh, this is a problem," muttered Zan. "How are we to get out of this hole now?"

Somewhere on her other side, she heard Forley groaning as he woke up. He had probably been brought to his own senses by all the noise she was making. Star also found that her eyes were growing used to their surroundings, though it was still impossible to see much. As she thought of this, a blaze of light dazzled her eyes, and she blinking back the spots that blinded her. Zan had lit a torch, and was holding it high to brighten the space.

It was a very small space, illuminated completely by that one torch. There was a heap of rubble all around them from the wall that had given way, and a layer of dust beneath them, and spider webs in every corner. Then there were the three of them, battered and sore, and in one case broken, from their fall. Lying still on her back, there was nothing else she could really see. At her feet, Zan was peering into each corner he could see, and also at her broken leg. He shook his head sadly at her.

"This looks bad," he commented. "I don't know if we have anything to splint that, either. And where has Vivi gone to? She was the only one of us who didn't fall. She could have helped us!"

Star looked up as far as she could, and saw a faint light from the enlarged hole above them. It was hardly even a light—only less dimness than everything else, high overhead. And, as Zan had pointed out, Vivi was nowhere to be seen or heard.

Frightened by everything that had happened, Star gripped the sigil and desperately pleaded for healing. _Take this pain away, at least,_ she begged _I can barely see straight like this!_

To her great relief, the sigil did part of what it asked. The stinging sensation of mending bone never came, but the pain began to lessen. She quickly found herself well enough to sit up, though Zan looked surprised at her sudden recovery.

_So, there is still only so much I can do on my own,_ she thought sadly, doing her best not to look at her twisted leg. She glanced at it only once and then looked away, shivering at the awful sight.

Forley began to pull himself up, shaking his head at the sudden torch light. Bits of crumbled mortar showered from his hair and shoulders as he did so. He rubbed his sore head and looked up, toward the less dimness. Then he sighed, leaning back on his hands and shaking his head again.

"Well, I'll be," he said sadly. "Ten feet it is, then. It seems I owe you money, Zan."

"How can you think of stupid bets at a time like this?" Zan thundered back. "There's no way out! No ladder, no rope, no door—we're completely trapped down here! Not to mention Star's hurt herself."

"It's not like I wanted this to happen," she snapped, beyond annoyed that Zan had pointed out her leg so quickly. Forley had noticed it now, and looked perfectly horrified.

Relieved of most of the pain for now, Star tried to think of a solution. It was just another puzzle, which surely had an answer. All they had to do was think of it. She suddenly had a feeling that Vivi was a large part of that answer, though, and she wondered furiously where the child had gone.

"Vivi's got to come back soon," she said resolutely. "Perhaps she's looking for something we can use to climb out."

"How can you be so sure?" Zan grumbled. "She's given us up for dead, for all we know."

"I don't think so. We've already come this far together, after all. Abandoning us now would be too impractical for her. Besides, if she gave up now, she would die of curiosity."

"I agree," Forley said slowly, digging in his pocket. "We started on poor terms; but she's been more than helpful since we met her, and she is friendly with me. As there seem to be no other options, I propose we wait for her to come back. In the meantime, Zan, here's that _arin_ I owe you."

He tossed the gold coin over Star's head, and Zan caught it in his free hand. For the second it was in the air, it twinkled in the light. As Star watched its brief flight, something about it seemed to call to her mind's eye. There was something strangely familiar about it. Something she was supposed to recognize for some reason.

To Zan, it was just a regular coin, and a token for being right about something. He shoved the _arin_ into his own pocket and leaned back against the wall, sticking the torch into the rubble to hold it up. Then he crossed his arms and settled himself to sulk while he waited.

Forley was doing the same, pushing more rubble out of the way to make himself some room. He gasped in surprise, and his companions turned to see him lifting something out of the rubble, into his lap.

"It's a chest!" he exclaimed. "A chest with a lock! Let's have a better look at this."

He moved closer to bring the chest into the light. It was a small treasure box of sturdy wood, bound in rusting iron, and sealed shut with another four-letter combination. Forley pulled at the lid, the hinges, and the rusted metal, testing for weakness. Finally he sat back on his heels, placing the unopened chest on the floor in front on him, and sighed in frustration.

"This must be the tenth lock," he decided. "And we still don't know the answer to its riddle. Star, we must think hard about this. All the other riddles were easy, once we had thought about them. And surely one of us has heard this one before. Perhaps when we were very, very small, and too young to remember."

"I don't think so, Forley. I've written them all down in other books back home. Shaaran helped me catalogue them, and she never mentioned this one. They never told us stories about other secrets being hidden down here, either. It seems more and more unlikely to me that they even knew about this."

Forley stared hard at the little wooden chest, puzzling over it in exasperation. After a minute he looked away, sliding his eyes toward Star's twisted leg.

"Just how bad is that?" he asked. "Aren't you in pain?"

"A little, but the sigil is helping with that," she answered, doing her best not to look again. "It won't mend the bone, but at least it doesn't hurt so much. Even if Vivi does find something we can climb, I don't know if I can manage it like this. We might have to send her for something to bind my leg, first."

The two of them shared a moment of annoyed, worried silence over this. Star glanced at Zan, who had remained staunchly silent the whole time. He had taken the _arin_ out of his pocket, and was fiddling with it to occupy himself.

"Can I see that?" she asked, holding her hand out.

Zan obviously didn't understand the request, but he placed the coin in her hand. She held it up to the light and turned it over in her hands. It was like any other _arin_ in the city. It was round and smooth, and heavy because it was pure, solid gold. On one side was engraved a soiled, serpentine dragon, the emblem of the Dragon Lord who had reigned when the coin had been printed. On the other side was the symbol of the empire, a grach with its wings spread wide.

It was an ordinary object here. In Rin, it might have been kept in the house of books, with other mementos of great adventures, and things to be studied and admired. Most of her father's people had never seen so much gold in one place before; and the idea that thousands of such coins existed somewhere, just to buy and sell things with, would have baffled them. But to her, here and now in this empty hole, it was supposed to mean something much more. Something far more precious than what it was.

Suddenly, that thought gave her an idea.

"Zan, _arin_ means _gold_ , doesn't it?"

"Yes, I suppose it does," he answered. "All our coins are named after the metals they are made of. _Arin_ for gold, _yune_ for silver, _daz_ _i_ for copper, and _riva_ for iron."

"Is there anything else _arin_ can mean?"

"Of course not. It's just a word in a different language. _Arin_ is the only other word they have for gold—the metal, anything made of it, even the color. Why?"

"I had a thought… Forley, hand me the chest."

She handed the coin back to Zan, and Forley placed the chest in her lap.

"It occurred to me," she said, working on the combination, "that my father's people came from a place called the Valley of Gold. And if _arin_ means the same thing…"

As she slid the last letter into place, the lock clicked loudly in the stillness. All three of them jumped in surprise at the sound, unable to believe that Star's vague idea had worked.

"Your true and secret name," she recalled from the list. "So, the answer was _arin_ all along!"

"How is that possible?" Zan asked before she could open the chest. "You are the people of Rin, not the people of _Arin…_ "

Even as he spoke, his violet eyes grew enormous with understanding. Hearing the two words so closely together for the first time, Star and Forley were equally amazed.

"Oh my goodness…"

Forley scratched his head in wonder, marveling at the chest with renewed excitement. "Well, strike me down. They might just mean the same thing, as well."

"I believe they must," Star agreed, as reason came together in her mind. "When the Zebak came to conquer our homeland, they would have called it _Haran Arin_ , the Place of Gold; we know enough of their language to guess that much. Perhaps to mock their new slaves, they called this place _Haran Arin_ , as well. Then, over time, because _Haran Arin_ is a lot to say over and over again, the name was shortened. So _Haran Arin_ became… Rin. And so it has been to this day."

There was a strong sense of truth in her words, and she knew at once that they hadn't come from her own mind. They felt almost like a personal memory, somehow woven together over hundreds of years, from thousands of forgotten words and countless people. It was a grand feeling, and it made her smile faintly.

"You seem so sure of that," Zan commented. "How can you know all this?"

Star turned her smile on him, and let it grow. "I just do," she answered simply, reaching under her dress to take out the sigil. She held the medallion up in the light for her friends to see, reminding them that she had unexpected ways of knowing things.

Zan held his _arin_ up beside the sigil, and the three of them noticed for the first time just how alike the two objects were. Round and smooth, heavy with pure metal, and standing for so much more than just gold. If only for the images stamped on the coin, the two could have been perfect twins.

Zan made an odd face, somewhere between amazement and sadness. "Your home, history, and name weren't the only things they took from you, it seems."

Star nodded, sharing his feeling of sorrow. "In a way, the people sleeping above us are just as much a part of Rin's history now as we are. If my people are like the Earth sigil, then yours are like this _arin_. We understand each other's stories better than we've been told to think."

The two exchanged a glance, perfectly understanding each other for a long moment. In spite of all their differences, they really were alike in all the ways that truly mattered. Everything they had just learned, everything they had just discovered about themselves, made the whole adventure and all its trouble worth it.

When the moment had stretched on too long, Forley broke the silence by clapping his hands together and rubbing them impatiently.

"That is one great mystery unraveled, and that is excellent. But please, Star, open the chest! Let us see what we've come all this way to find! The curiosity will kill me if we wait much longer."

Finally, Star carefully lifted the lid. To their disappointment, the first thing they found inside was a faded letter. Star took it out of the chest, planning to read it, but there was more beneath it. On the bottom of the box were two polished stones, set in silvery metalwork, nestled in what seemed to be web-like pools of fine chain. While Star was puzzled by all they had found in the chest, Zan suddenly looked delighted.

"Why, these are magicites," he said, reaching inside and taking out one of the stones. Along with the stone and its setting came its web of chain. He immediately set about slipping the chains around his wrist and fingers, so that the stone fit snuggly into his palm. He flexed his fingers, testing the fit, and grinned to see that it suited him.

"I've always wanted one of my own," he continued, once he was happy with it. "Let's see, here. This one is a ruby, one of the fire stones. The other one looks like moonstone, which is an air stone. Forley put the other one on. With all your babbling of being element air, you will like that one better, I think."

Forley seemed unsure, but he reached for the other magicite and began to fumble with it, trying to make sense of the chains. "Magicites, huh? Those magic stones that some guards use, are they not? I've never really understood them, I'm afraid."

"Oh, it's quite simple. You take aim and fire. I've done some training with them in the past, and there really isn't much to it. How did Zak describe it? I think he said something like, it blows up whatever your brain thinks of. That sounds stupid, but I suppose it isn't wrong. Here, I'll show you."

He aimed his stone across the small space, spreading his fingers wide, and focused his gaze on a pile of rubble. Without warning, a bolt of flame shot out of nowhere and hit the pile with alarming force. The whole place suddenly grew intensely hot, and plumes of smoke filled the air. They all had to shield their faces from the blast, and found themselves chocking on smoke.

"I'm sorry," Zan coughed, waving the smoke from his eyes. "I'm not great at this yet."

Forley was brushing at his stinging eyes, but he was also chuckling to himself. "Well, you could have killed us easily, so that's a start. Perhaps this air stone can summon a gale, to clear away the smoke?"

"Regrettably, no, not yet. That takes a great deal of practice; air stones are always the trickiest to control. Although… Air stone are good for healing. This might be a solution for Star's broken leg. A first try will be far from perfect, but she might be able to get out of this hole with less trouble. Put the thing on and try it."

While Forley went on trying to make sense of the chains, Star tried to read the letter. She quickly found that it was no use. The writing was so faded and the air so thick with smoke, it was impossible to see properly. She carefully folded it, being careful not to tear it, and tucked it into her own pocket.

From somewhere above them, they suddenly heard coughing, and a voice exclaiming in surprise.

"Hey! What are you guys doing down there? You're not dead, are you?"

"Vivi!" Forley called back, impossibly relieved. "Where have you been? We need your help!"

"Yeah, no kidding," the girl's voice came again. "Don't worry, I found some rope in the house. I tied it down to something that won't fall apart, too. Here it comes!"

With that, a length of rope plummeted down from above, nearly smacking Star in the face. It was a sturdy rope, too, and would be easy enough to climb. In fact, she had to smile in thanks for the time Alanis had taught her to do it, so that she might scale her grandparent's house to climb in the attic window and visit her cousin in secret whenever she wished. She had come home with suspicious burns on her hands the first few times she had tried it, and remembered having a time explaining them to her parents; but she had figured it out quickly and gone on to do it many times.

Only, she had never had to do it with a broken leg.

"Wait a moment," she called to Vivi. "There's one thing we have to do first."

"Fine, but hurry up. I think you woke up the people next door with all this noise."

Sensing now that they were running out of time, Forley finally finished strapping the moonstone to his hand, and then looked cluelessly at Star's leg.

"What do I do with it?" he asked Zan.

"Just grip her ankle and tell it to heal itself," Zan shrugged, as if it were obvious. "I've seen it done plenty of times."

Forley took a deep breath and cautiously slid his fingers around Star's ankle. He focused his whole attention on it, waiting desperately for a response. For a long moment, nothing seemed to happen. Then, at last, the stone began to glow, brighter and brighter in the smoky dimness. As the glow grew stronger, Star felt the sensation she had been bracing herself for. A prickling like needles filled her whole leg, as the broken bone was rapidly knit back together. In less than a minute, it was whole again.

"Well?" Forley asked. "How does it feel? Can you stand now?"

"It certainly isn't perfect," she answered, letting him and Zan help her up. She placed a little weight on her weak leg and found, though it still felt flimsy and sore, that she could stand on it. "However, it will do for the task at hand."

"You go first, then," Zan told her firmly. "Should you fall, we can catch you before you break your other leg."

"Thanks," she said dryly, rolling her eyes. Then she took the rope and began pulling herself up as quickly as she could. It was harder than she remembered, being careful of her leg at all times; but she reminded herself that climbing ten feet in this way was no great feat. It wasn't the side of a house, and it certainly wasn't the side of a mountain. She reached the top in little time, and pulled herself into the cellar without help.

Vivi was standing nearby, peering out the cellar door for danger, and offered no help at all. Her attention was on the smoke rising out of the hole, filling the cellar, and slowly drifting outside.

"I don't know what you guys were up to while I was gone, but you sure made a mess," she said to Star. "If someone sees this smoke, they'll come here and find us."

"It wasn't my idea," Star replied. "In any case, we did find the tenth lock, and we figured out the puzzle to open it."

Vivi whipped her head around and grinned. "Oh, great! Did you find the tool you came looking for?"

"I think so… I mean, we must have," Star answered slowly. She had been so concerned with the puzzles and their answers, she had forgotten the rhyme that had led her to Rin in the first place. "We found a pair of magicites, and a letter we haven't read yet. Zan has some skill with them, and Forley wasn't terrible with his first try, either. There isn't much I can do with them now, but they certainly are useful."

"Agreed," came Zan's voice, as he pulled himself out of the hole and stood up. "Magicites are available for purchase, but for an outrageous price that only the highest ranking guards can afford. Otherwise, Central Control issues them to guards of their own choosing. We are extremely lucky to have come across these. And in in such an unlikely place, too. I wonder what they were doing here, all this time?"

"That may be explained in the letter," Star suggested, patting her dress pocket. "But we should wait until we're home to sit and read it. Now that we've found what we came for, we need to get out of here."

"And quickly, too," came Forley's voice, as he, too, climbed out and stood up. "If Vivi is concerned about being seen, I'm willing to be concerned, also. We should certainly be going back the way we came."

The four of them filed out of the cellar and into the sunlight, trying to make themselves as small as possible. As far as they could tell, the dirt road was still deserted. Glancing at the window of the nearest cottage, however, they could see people stirring behind the drawn curtains.

"We should take our chances and make a run for it," Zan suggested. "If we hurry, they might not notice us."

"You don't have to ask me twice," Vivi chirped proudly. "I'm great at running from people. Watch this!" With that, the girl dashed off ahead of them, remarkably fast for such a young child. Without another choice, the others all ran after her.

"You there!" barked a voice behind them. "Halt, in the name of the Dragon Lord! Halt, I say!"

They stopped and whirled around, horrified to see a small gang of gray-clad guards storming after them from around a bend in the road.

"Run!" Vivi shrieked, turning and sprinting away even faster than before. Agreeing completely, the rest of them broke into a sprint as well. Behind them, the guards were shouting in fury and matching their pace. In fact, it seemed to Star that they were gaining on them.

They would have no time to lift the cover of the manhole and slip away. The guards would see them trying to escape, and catch them before they got very far. Then they would realize that the compound had a weakness, and surely they would report it. The refuge of the sewers would be discovered, at last, and be destroyed. The sewer people were sure to fight back; but how could they stand at all against the will of the Dragon Lord? They would be doomed.

Star felt her heart plummet into her stomach at the thought. Escape was impossible now. The only choice she could see was to surrender, and at least spare the sewer people a terrible fate. Yet she kept on running as fast as she could, trying to ignore the shooting pains in her bad leg. Every impact on that leg was weakening it, and she feared that it would break again if she didn't stop soon.

It seemed completely hopeless now.

The guards were closing in just as the manhole came into view. Roused by the noise outside, several people had appeared in the doors of the nearby cottages to see what was happening. And so there was quite an audience there to see when Forley skidded to a halt and spun around to face the guards, aiming the moonstone into their faces.

The blast that came next ripped through the whole area with the force of a hurricane. It sent Forley flying back, off his feet and into his companions. The four of them fell in a heap in the middle of the road, shouting in shock, watching as the sudden gale plowed through everything in its path. The guards were blown away and into the wall of a house; the house itself quaked, its windows cracking and its roof buckling, and the people inside could be heard shrieking in confused terror. Elsewhere, anything that wasn't secure was being ripped up and carried away in the fierce wind.

All at once, Star found that she and her friends were surrounded by an awestruck gathering of slaves, and a sea of hands was helping them up. The people were amazed by what they had seen, and clearly pleased.

"By the stars," exclaimed one man, "I've never seen such a thing in all my life! Where have you come from?"

"From nowhere," Vivi informed him shortly, as she skittered to the manhole and made no move to lift it. "Now go on back inside. We'll be going now."

The nameless man raised his eyebrow and considered her for a second. "Through the manhole?" he asked. "Now that is a clever thing. You've come from the city, then."

The small crowd was murmuring in excitement at this. Since it had already been guessed, Zan and Forley shrugged and bent to lift the cover.

"Don't tell anyone," Forley begged them. "If they ever found out—"

"No, no, of course not," the man insisted right away. "Your secret is perfectly safe with us. You young people are in a hurry, but I must ask before you go. Might we escape this wretched place this way? So many have tried in other ways. None have succeeded."

Star, Zan, and Forley all turned to Vivi, who had already jumped into the tunnel. Seeing that the decision was somehow hers, she gazed around the eager faces of the crowd and shrugged.

"Sure, be my guest," she said as she began to climb downward. "Everyone's welcome down there. Take it from me, Vivi. I'm a famous thief, you know."

Her companions all nodded in apology for her attitude, and began to climb down after her.

"Just don't attempt it in full daylight," Zan told them as he climbed into the darkness. "She's been here before, but she came under cover of night. Go only a few at a time; it will make your escape less noticeable if you go in smaller numbers. And don't send your women and children all at once; if all the same people disappear at the same time, that will also look suspicious."

One woman in the crowd scoffed and planted her fists on her hips. "What do you propose we do, then?" she demanded.

Zan dug in his pocket and pulled out his _arin_ , and tossed it to the man who had spoken to them first.

"Flip this coin for it," he suggested. "That's fair, I suppose."

Forley climbed down after him, and held his hand up to Star to help her down.

"Don't worry, I won't let you fall," he told her as she eased down into the tunnel. Her leg ached at the idea of the descent, and having to retrace the whole way through the sewers. She tried not to think of it by reminding herself that her friends would help her, and by thinking of the slaves they had just met.

_We've given them a new hope,_ she thought. _Just look at their faces. Perhaps some of them had given up and resigned themselves to this life, like June had. Now that they know there is a chance, something they can do to change their lives, everything is different._

That, too, made the whole adventure worth it. Even her broken leg.

As she painfully climbed down the tunnel, the first man and a young boy appeared at the hole above her and began shifting the metal plate back into its place. The boy peered down after her, looking like he would have rather jumped into the tunnel and followed them at once.

"Remember us when you get back," he begged her. "Remember us."

"I will," she answered as the dark closed in around them once again. "I will remember you. I promise."

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_Afterthoughts…_

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As you can probably tell, I've had a lot of time to plan this plot twist.

I've also had a lot of time to plan on the next thing, which involves Alanis and Leah explaining their own personal reasons to be in Habaharan. Following Star on an adventure like they always said they would is kind of obvious… But there is a lot of hope for redemption going on here, actually. Their own fathers always went on quests to try and prove themselves somehow, and the apple really doesn't fall too far from the tree.

(Also, Leah might end up eloping with a foreigner, like her grandmother before her, but nothing is set in stone yet. In any case, you won't see that plot bunny hopping along as it happens.)

As I believe Forley put it, _onto the next!_


	12. An Aid Your Name Could Never Buy

Britta of Del may have just done to my canon what Rye and his brothers did to the wall of Weld—blasted a considerable chunk of it to smithereens. Apparently, she will go to Maris at some point? Not knowing when this happens for who she will encounter there is physically painful….. If only I had a clue or _something_ , I could work her into this somehow! :/

Back to how I use fonts that don't translate to ffnet. Josef's writing always appears in French Script in the DQ _Dragons_ arc. For that reason, Thiery's writing appears in French Script here. Thought you might like to know that. ;D

(Also-also, some of you might like to notice that Zeel paraphrases Veritas the dragon in just a moment. _Isle of the Dead_ references abound in this chapter, for some reason…)

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_Chapter 12: An Aid Your Name Could Never Buy_

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The company had returned to Bhlai House in alarming shape. Vivi had bounced around in excitement, babbling about how thrilling their adventure had been. Zan and Forley had been shaken by all they had seen and done, marveling at the magicites strapped to their hands. Then had come Star, fainting from pain and revelations, her left leg broken again and starting to swell badly.

Thora had since used myrmon to put her to sleep, and set her leg in a splint. Now Star was sleeping fitfully in her own bed, unaware that her mother was keeping vigil beside her.

Zeel sat quietly on the side of the bed, watching her daughter for any sign that she was might wake up. Clearly her adventure had been fruitful, and there was plenty to be told of it. Zan and Forley had agreed it right to wait for her before they told their story, for reasons they couldn't explain without spoiling it. Vivi wouldn't stop chattering about it; but her version of the story was so incoherent that it was difficult to understand. Also, it seemed like she was exaggerating her part in it for her little brother, while leaving out the most frightening parts.

So Zeel sighed to herself yet again and committed herself to being patient. Instead of letting herself be frustrated, she silently blessed the fact that Star had come back at all. As she gazed at her child's sleeping face, it was harder than ever not to worry about her.

_I never truly understood Jiller's fussing before,_ she thought sadly. _The woman has always been one to worry; if Rowan gets that from anyone, it is from his mother. I always thought that her worrying was pointless, even silly, when her children had proven themselves. I had never thought of how her only son is so destined, and how that must trouble her. Now I have a destined child of my own, and now I know what it feels like. I must say, I do not like it._

Zeel couldn't count the number of times she had sat like this with Star, when the girl had been hurt or feeling poorly. She also remembered the worst of those times, when Star had been bullied and even beaten by other children who had disliked her, when she had come home in tears and covered in bruises. Zeel had held the child close in those moments and let her weep those tears, before deciding that letting her go back to those lessons would be foolish. There had been other times, more recently, when Star had languished in her bed, impatient to grow up and despairing that there wasn't a place in the world where she belonged.

Being a patient mother was never easy in moments like these, when she was tempted to beat a little of respect into someone. After all, Star had done nothing to deserve any of that. What had she done to offend anyone, but come into the world looking a little different from other people? How was that something to be so punished for?

_Well, things are a bit different now,_ she told herself. _Schoolyard bullies are the last problem she has to face here. Between them and the wrath of the Dragon Lord, I would happily deal with those pests every day for the rest of my life. They caused her so much trouble when she was small, and it was impossible not to worry about her—about how that trouble would shape her life and her future and the person she would grow to be. And now there is this city, and the sigil, and the adventures…_

_How foolish it seems, to think of those bullies at a time like this! That was only a small trouble, a pain that we dealt with together. This is truer danger than we had ever thought to face. And we are alone, she and I._

She heard footsteps thumping around on the floor above her. Alanis and Leah had dared to come out of hiding to hear what had happened. She could hear the sound of their voices, and Forley's, and Vivi and Zizi's, speaking indistinctly. She could only imagine what they must be saying to one another.

Then she had to smile. Their very real family was all around them. Even the people who weren't their family were their friends—good and trusted friends, though all of them unexpected. Zeel shook her head and laughed at her despair, and mentally brushed it away.

_How could I think for even one second that we are alone? Star and I are hardly alone at all. Hurt and frightened, perhaps; but alone? These people have remained with us all this time, and I'm willing to believe that they will not abandon us. And I suppose there is always this baby of mine. I am never truly alone these days, after all._

A few minutes passed in silence, until there was a gentle knock on the door. Before she could answer, Vivi stuck her head inside, making an odd face.

"Hey, I think Lady Grumpy-Pants wants to see you," the girl said peevishly. "Something about magic or her brother or something. Forley said he wants her to try that fire stone they found, but she freaked out and ran off."

"Then we should leave her alone," answered Zeel. "In a mood like that, Alanis won't want to see anyone in particular. She just needs her space. Besides, I can hardly manage the climb in this state."

Vivi shrugged. "Forley said to come and get you. He tried talking to her, and she snapped at him. I think she hurt his feelings. I don't get her. Why does she have to be like that all the time?"

"She isn't used to living like this, and she isn't so used to strangers, either. Being trapped like this irritates her more than you can tell. Although… You said it was something about her brother?"

Vivi leaned against the door, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes. "I know, right? I mean, Rowan is super awesome, and it's nice that he's her brother and all, but really. I don't see what he's got to do with anything."

Zeel hummed to herself as she thought about this. "I have an idea about that, actually. Oh, but I had hoped that she had perhaps grown past all that."

Now Vivi looked very interested. "All what? I want to know! Tell me."

"It's not my place to say, I'm afraid. And it's not right to speak of people behind their backs. So, Forley wants her to use one of the magicites?"

"He sure does. He was really excited about it—I know, because he told me so. He thought she would be happy to have something to do. But she said no, because she isn't magic and she isn't her brother. He tried to change her mind, and that's when she got mad and ran off.

"Oh." Zeel couldn't help sighing sadly at this. "In that case, all you have to do is wait a while. I'm sure that the rest will come out on its own shortly. All I can tell you presently is that my husband's people don't know how to bite their tongues when it really counts; and because of that, Alanis is not as sure of herself as you might guess."

Not understanding what she meant, but now overwhelmed with curiosity, Vivi came and sat expectantly on the floor at Zeel's feet. "Why can't you tell me the whole thing right now?"

To this, Zeel flashed the girl a devilish smirk of her own. "If you can keep a good story from us like this, then I can keep one from you. It's only fair, don't you think?"

Vivi pouted furiously. "I don't think it's fair. I'll be dead by the time Star wakes up!"

As if to prove her wrong, Star began to stir. Her eyes slowly fluttered open and she groaned in discomfort, sluggishly pressing her hands to her eyes.

"Now see what you've done," Zeel scolded the child. "You've woken her all too soon; and with all that's happened, she won't sleep again any time soon. Heaven knows she needs the rest…"

Zeel decided to think about this later, because she, too, was overwhelmingly curious. She took her daughter's hand, and brushed her hair out of her face, as she might have done on a normal morning at home. "Star, my dear, wake. It's me."

Star squinted drowsily up at her, not quite ready to wake up. The she squeezed her eyes shut and hissed in pain. "I had hoped some of that might have been a dream," she muttered. "My leg is still broken, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so," Zeel agreed evenly, hoping she didn't sound as worried as she felt. "The lot of you have really been through something, it seems."

Star suddenly regained some of her strength and began to pull herself up. "Oh, mum, we have so much to tell you. You won't believe what we found."

"Oh, I believe it, dearest. The boys have already shown us the magicites. It was quite a find, though they haven't explained how you found them in the first place. Vivi didn't talk you into stealing them, did she?"

"No, no, we were led to them. It was what we were meant to find all along," Star answered slowly. "At least, they were part of it. The rest of it was… So much more."

Vivi huffed proudly to herself, suddenly looking fascinated. "You know, I could have stolen them from someone if I had really wanted to," she said. "I've just never felt like it before, is all. Zeel, how come you didn't mention it before? It could have saved us a lot of time, you know."

Zeel glared down at her. "I'd prefer if you didn't steal anything from anyone. Now that Star is awake, perhaps you should gather the others. They wouldn't say a word about what happened until she could be present for it, and the rest of us don't want to wait a moment longer."

"Okay," the girl said carelessly, hopping to her feet and darting off. Once she was gone, Star sighed tiredly and ran her fingers through her hair.

"They didn't have to wait on me," she said quietly. "Forley was there for the whole thing, and he could probably tell the story better than me in this moment."

"Of course they waited on you," her mother insisted, holding her close. "They want you to be a part of this. It is their way of respecting you."

"I guess so. I just hate to be kept waiting on anything. I don't want other people to have to wait on me, when everything we learned was so important. I don't want to be a burden."

"Hush. You sound far too much like your father, speaking like that. I don't know what could be so important, but it can certainly wait an hour or two for you."

Star reached into her pocket and carefully drew out a folded piece of paper. "We found this, too," she said. "It's a letter, but we didn't have time to read it before."

Zeel took the letter from her hand and set it aside. "We will all read it together in a moment, then. If I'm right, all that noise overhead means that the others are coming to join us. Do you think you can make it into the common room?"

"I don't think so. I would prefer everyone gathering in here, anyway."

"It will be quite a crowd in this little room," Zeel pointed out, raising her eyebrow at her daughter. "Are you sure—?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Star answered solidly. "So that Alanis and Leah can join us and hear the whole thing right away. I don't want them to have to wait, to hear it after everyone else already knows it. They need to hear it. They deserve to hear it firsthand, for a change."

Wondering very much what could be so important, Zeel sighed in defeat. "Very well, then. Someone will have to go back upstairs for them, then…"

"Forley will bring them with him, mum. We talked about it on the way back, and we already agreed on it. He wants them here, too."

And so it was that Star's rather small room quickly became very crowded, as most of the house gathered around her bed to hear of the day's great adventure. The only person who didn't join them was Simon, who remained as scarce as he always did. Once they were together at last, the story was finally told.

Forley did most of the talking—and he did it well, as he had learned from his own father. Star was still exhausted and spoke very little. Zan remained respectfully silent while the tale was told, having nothing to add. Vivi sat quietly for once, with her brother snuggled in her lap, and listened in amazement as the story was told better than she could have ever managed.

And so it was told of the hidden city beneath the city, and the short journey through it. And so t was told of Theiry's old house in Rin, patched together but still abandoned after all these years. And so it was told of nine locks and their nine answers, and the quest to find the tenth. And so it was told of a crumbling wall, a tumble down into darkness, bones broken, and marvelous secrets discovered.

And so it was told of _Haran Arin_ and the name of a whole people, lost to the ages until that fated afternoon.

Until this point, Zeel had listened to the story with great pride. In spite of her many worries, hearing of how the young people she loved had banded together in moments of danger and fear filled her with triumph. Then came the origin of Rin itself, and all that the name truly meant. With it, she had learned that the knowledge came right from the Earth sigil, which meant that it was the complete and perfect truth.

It was a question she remembered her poor husband pondering many times in the past, and she had wondered about it, too. Rin was such a simple and sturdy name, much like its people; but where had it come from, the two of them had often thought. What did it mean? Who had chosen it? Why had it been chosen to begin with? Would they ever know?

Now that she knew the answers all at once, Zeel was stunned, unsure how to feel about it. It hurt to learn of another awful trick her native people had played on her married people. At the same time, it brought her joy to have reclaimed it. At the very same time, it frustrated her to know of it now, when the people of Rin—the Arin—would perhaps never know it for themselves.

Rowan, their Titan and guardian, might never know it. It was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

On the other side of the crowded room, Leah had sunk to the floor with her hands pressed over her mouth, her eyes wide behind her spectacles. She had weathered this crowd of friends bravely so far; but the revelation of her true name had brought her suddenly to the brink of her control, and now she looked ready to panic. Alanis remained standing solid and straight, gazing stonily into space. It was impossible to tell how she was feeling. It was certain, though, that she was burning with more painful emotions than she could stand.

Forley spared his sister a glance, to make sure that she was alright. His hesitation passed in a second, and he resumed the tale before anyone could interrupt him. And so he finished with the discovery of the magicites, their frantic chase through the compound, and the gale he had accidentally summoned in a haze of panic.

"I'm afraid it did a lot of damage," he said sheepishly. "We may be hearing all about it in the morning."

"I don't think they will find us," Zan added quickly, when Thora's face grew alarmed. "The guards who chased us never got a good look at our faces, and they were unconscious when we finally escaped. Several very helpful slaves saw us go, but they were all as eager for a safe escape route as you could imagine. It's a gamble to hand out our trust like that, I know; but for all the good that knowledge can do them, I should think we can trust them to keep the manhole a secret."

"Speaking of secrets," Forley continued, "I do believe there was one more that we had quite forgotten about. Along with the magicites, we found a letter. Star, now that we are all gathered in one convenient place, let's see what it says."

Having it at hand, Zeel picked up the letter again and unfolded it, squinting a bit to see the faded letters. As she read the words aloud for the gathering, she could feel her heart rising and sinking with emotions once again.

Norriss, Shaaran, my dearest ones,

If you are reading this, I am dead, and lady Zinobia has led you this place at last. You have perhaps wondered by now what other mysteries we have kept hidden in this dark cellar, where none think to venture. And now you may be surprised to learn what those mysteries are.

Zinobia and I agreed long ago that it was only fair to grant you a last protection, when my own finally failed you. The gracious lady has gone to some trouble to obtain these stones for you, as they come at great expense in coin and title. She laments that her efforts were not sufficient, though I cannot see how she could think such a thing of herself. She has also agreed to train you in their use. The violent nature of the art is not one I am wholly at peace with. However, Zinobia is my good friend and a highly logical woman, and she convinced me, in the end, that it was a practical decision.

With that, I have left you both in the lady's charge until you are of age. Zinobia is of Central Control, of course, and is able to watch over you only from a safe distance. Her presence will be difficult to notice at most times; but never doubt that it is there. She has promised to keep you from the worst danger, and to see to your welfare in any way she can. Zinobia has seen to your care since you were born, though you have not known it. This, at least, will not change. She is quite fond of you; and at the time this was written, she was already proud to offer her care to you in my place.

Mind Zinobia and all her instructions. In time, she hopes to find a way that you might escape and be free, with the aid of these stones. Be patient with her, while she struggles to help you. Her aid is a blessing more precious than silver and gold, and I am deeply thankful to count on it now that I am gone.

Be strong for one another, and look after each other. Lose not the fruit of cheer, as I have taught you, and do not weep for my fate. Rest in the knowledge that I have won my freedom, that my spirit has gone to be with those of friends and loved ones, and that in time we shall surely meet again.

Deepest peace, and greatest affections...

A heavy silence settled over the group, as they learned the rest of the truth. Alanis broke it by huffing loudly and rolling her eyes.

"How on earth could two magicites be insufficient?" the young woman grumbled. "Providing one must have been a miracle. Providing _two_ of them, though? This Zinobia woman must have been as cunning a thief as our small friends are."

"I think I know why the woman might have been doubtful about this," Zeel replied quietly. "Thiery would not have understood the importance of the stones and their elements, but Zinobia almost certainly did. Surely, when she went looking for them, she took whatever she could find; these two must have been the best she could do. Norriss could have learned to use the moonstone with ease, but Shaaran would have had no luck whatever with a ruby. Her element is water, the exact opposite of fire."

Zan crossed his arms, doing his best not to scowl. "Does it really matter?" he asked. "A stone is a stone is a stone. They would have done well with them in any case."

Zeel slid her eyes toward him, unwilling to argue over it in this moment. "If you were as well-read as you claim to be, you might know that has been proven to matter a great deal. There have been several studies on it with plenty of solid evidence to point to. I can direct you to them, if you would like."

Irked again by the nature of magic, and realizing that he had spoken too sharply too soon, Zan looked in shame at the floor and didn't answer.

Star raised her finger to touch the faded paper in her mother's hand, and pointed at one line in particular.

"He said, her aid was more precious than gold and silver," the girl commented slowly. "It sounds strangely like my prophecy. _An aid your name could never buy_ , remember, mum?"

"Yes, I remember," she agreed. "The whole thing has come full circle, as they always seem to."

Star rested her head on her mother's shoulder and smiled faintly. "It is done, then. That chapter of the tale is complete, and here we stand on the other side. It feels good."

Zeel shook her head and held the girl a little closer. "Magic and destiny," she lamented. 'It is far from what I had wanted for you, but you have done well today. Your father would be proud of you."

Star hummed happily at the idea. Alanis, on the other hand, suddenly growled in irritation and stormed out of the room without a word. The rest of them watched her go in surprise, wondering where that outburst had come from.

Leah cleared her throat and fixed her spectacles nervously. "Alanis has a lot on her mind just now, I think," she said quietly. "I suppose she has tried hard not to think about it, but it hasn't been easy. She has too much time now, to sit around and think. I have felt the same lately, but it is harder for her."

Thora gazed down at her with concern in her eyes. "Whatever do you mean, child? Are the two of you ill?"

Leah shook her head. "Not quite. Not in any way you can treat, at least. Uselessness has been weighing on us more and more recently; it hurts us, each in our own way. For Alanis, who is so bold and quick to action, living this way is infuriating. As for me, I have never been either of those things… But how I longed to try and change that."

She sighed sadly and shook her head again, looking impossibly disappointed with herself. Forley came and sat on the floor beside her.

"Is that what this was all about?" he asked. "To prove yourself to a village of fools? I thought you came on this journey to help me look after Star. It was all you said you meant to do."

Leah laughed without humor. "I know. That was a large part of it, and all that I said to you, but it was never the whole reason. With my poor sight and strange fears and all the little quirks that go with it, no one has ever had any faith in me. A chance to prove them wrong is all I have ever wanted. I had hoped that this great adventure might be just the chance I had always hoped for. All this time later, I'm no more helpful than I've ever been. It is exhausting."

"That's stupid," Vivi remarked loudly. "You look after my little brother for me, don't you? You've been extremely helpful."

"Yeah," Zizi agreed, jumping out of his sister's lap and into Leah's instead. "You read to me, and sing to me, and give me baths and tasty food and—Leah, you're wonderful!" The little boy snuggled into her arms with an enormous smile. Leah gratefully hugged him back.

"Well, I'm glad that someone thinks so."

"Many people do," Star drowsily pointed out. "All the people who really matter think you're wonderful, too. Who cares what others think?"

Leah glanced at Star over Zizi's head, with darkness in her eyes. "That doesn't keep other people's disappointment from hurting the way it does. You know that, Star, I know that you do. How many times have you complained about the very same thing?"

Star wilted a bit against her mother, as she realized how right her cousin was. Forley sighed and gazed in sad wonder at his sister.

"So, your real purpose all this time was to redeem yourself somehow?" he said slowly. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Leah frowned at him. "You wouldn't have listened. And I wanted to do something on my own, for a change. Without you and our parents insisting all the time that I am perfect the way I am, because I know I'm not. I can't even stand going outdoors most of the time, for fear of a crowd. Sometimes all these people I know and trust are too much to bear at once. How can you keep saying that I'm fine as I am, when there is obviously something wrong with me?"

She was quickly growing angry and impatient with them, like Alanis had. Forley cringed away from her, looking amazingly ashamed of himself. But Zizi rested his head on her shoulder, unafraid.

"Well," he said, "I like you anyway."

"Yeah, we all do," Vivi agreed. "Your thing with crowds is super weird, but it's not like it makes you dumb or anything."

Thora knelt at a safe distance in front of her and smiled in her good natured way. "Indeed not. The mere fact that you realize you need help is a place to start. It means that you can be helped at all. And, if it suits you, I think I may know a few ways to help you. There is no reason why you should do this alone."

Leah shrugged at this. "Proving yourself alone means much to my people."

Thora shook her head crisply. "Well, you are I my house now, and such foolishness means nothing to me. I do intend to help you, young lady, whether you wish it or not."

Suddenly, Leah looked impossibly relieved. She even dared to smile a bit. "Thank you."

"Naturally," Thora agreed, nodding her head in approval. "You didn't truly believe that brewing quality tonics was all I could do, did you?"

"No, I didn't," Leah answered with a slight laugh. "Now if only you could help Alanis with her troubles. I'm afraid she came here with business of her own."

Forley groaned in annoyance. "Not her, too! Am I really the only one of us who came here _just_ because of Star? What's the matter with Alanis, then?"

Zeel shook her head at his complaining. "Surely you must know, Forley. Especially after what I understand happened upstairs. How could you have forgotten?"

"She believes you are trying to make her be like her brother," Star commented quietly, even though she hadn't heard of what had happened. "She has spent her life being compared to her brother and sister, never quite able to compare in some people's eyes. For her, this journey was a way to prove that she can succeed in her own ways, without magic."

Zan rubbed his arm, humming to himself. "I know what that is like. I've never been able to measure up to my brothers, either. I had no idea that it was happening to her, too, though. I never would have guessed it. If she had only said something, maybe I could have helped her."

"Is that why she's always so angry?" Vivi asked.

"In part," Leah agreed. "Being useless bothers her terribly; but while she is trapped inside with an insane person like me, he can't exactly do what she set out to do. She lifted her grandfather's sword before she left home, hoping to perhaps prove herself in battle. It is what her father would have done. She wants very badly to be like her father, who is a good leader and a great man. When people only ever compare her to her magical brother and beautiful sister, they can't see that she has her own special strengths. It hurts her more than she will ever admit."

"Huh." Vivi thought about this for a moment, resting her chin on her knees. "That's very sad. Gee, those people really are stupid sometimes, aren't they?"

"They can never see what's right in front of them until it punches them in the nose," Forley agreed tightly. "I think her mother had hoped to fix that by finding her a husband as soon as possible, but of course it only made things worse. She certainly isn't the mild mannered child her mother had hoped for. I would have liked to help, of course, but…"

Sensing that he had perhaps said too much, Forley cleared his throat and suddenly changed the topic. "I didn't mean to upset her," he said quickly. "She is element Fire, and I had thought she would want to have a look at the ruby right away. I had expected her to be interested in it, at least. I didn't realize she still felt this so strongly; she hasn't mentioned it once since we've been here."

"I would have been surprised if she did," Leah told him. "You know it isn't in her nature to discuss her feelings. In that way, she doesn't have to try very hard to be like her father. I only know all this because she's been grumbling to herself about it lately, and I've been stuck listening to it. I don't think she knows I've heard every word of it. Or perhaps she does and just refuses to acknowledge it because she is so stubborn."

"That is a pity," Star said with a yawn. "If she carries on in this way, she will make herself sick. She needs us, whether she wants our help or not. I don't think this pain can be willed away so easily; if it were, she would have dealt with it by now."

"How do you know all that?" Vivi asked. "I thought you were asleep when we were talking about it."

"I just do," Star answered simply, tapping the shape of the sigil under her clothes.

It dawned on Zeel that her daughter had been saying this a lot lately…

Thora thought about all this for a moment, tapping her finger on her chin, as she often did when she was being crafty. "It seems to me that what the child needs is a purpose. She came here for a chance to prove herself at something, and hasn't been given that chance once in all this time. It is terribly unfair to her; and I have always believed that demanding patience of a 17-year-old is pointless. We shall simply have to find a way for her to help with our cause."

Zan narrowed his eyes at her. "Haven't you already gotten involved enough in the rebellion? Alanis can't even do anything, trapped here in the house."

"Surely there is something meaningful she can do. Something she is good at. Something your silly brother just hasn't considered yet. Having something to do—anything—will help to solve her problems. And it could help our Leah, as well. Besides, they are both living here, at what is to be headquarters. Their involvement is inevitable, and may as well be addressed now."

Zan scratched his head, making a face. "Zamiel is going to hate this…"

"He is going to hate a lot of things, come morning. Papers will be printed, and arrest warrants issued for a band of slippery children, and your brother will be suspicious at once. No, no, my own plan is sound, and if he resists I will make him do as I say. These girls have gone far too long without something to occupy their time. It isn't fair of him to make them wait in silence and leave them unprepared. I won't stand for it another moment longer."

For some reason, Zan smiled. "We can always count on you, Thora. Than you."

"I am glad that this is settled," she agreed, rising to her feet. "Now then, who is going to explain all this good news to Alanis? I doubt if she wants to see anyone presently, but she deserves to know."

"I'll do it," Forley said at once. "I owe her an explanation, and an apology. I caused this mood of hers in the first place. Though of course I never meant to, I hurt her feelings; I can see that now. And so I should be the one to heal them."

Thora smiled kindly down at him and nodded in approval. "That is wise and brave of you, young man. Perhaps you have learned a thing or two of caution today."

"Perhaps I have," he agreed, letting her help him up.

Zeel laughed lightly at him. "It isn't like you to learn so much in so little time. I've never seen you like this before, but I think I like it. Your own parents would be proud of you, too."

He slowly smiled back as he thought of that. "I suppose they would be. Thank you for that."

With that, he hurried out to look for Alanis without excusing himself. Once he was gone, Vivi began to giggle behind her hands.

"Ooh, he has a lot of apologizing to do if he ever wants to get out of the doghouse," she sang. "She'll be mad at him for weeks and weeks! What do you think she'll do when he gets up there? Bet she'll yell at him good, huh?"

"Well," sighed Zeel, "I remember making my husband sleep on our couch whenever we quarreled. Luckily for him, he has a bed of his own down here, and belongs in it anyway."

But Vivi was already giggling again. "You made the Titan sleep on the couch? Boy, are you amazing! Did you ever have to smack him before?"

"I think this has been enough excitement for now," Zeel said instead. "Everyone out, Star needs her rest at the moment. Zan, you should be getting home, too. Zamiel was here asking about you earlier, and is probably growing worried. Besides, it is rest day and you've barely slept since yesterday. We will take care of things here."

Zan spared a glance at Star, who nodded vaguely in reply.

"If you say so," he said. "We have tomorrow morning off as well, so I suspect I will see you all sooner than later. Rest well, Star; I hope you feel better."

"I think I will, thank you," she smiled back. "Feel better, yourself."

"I'm leaving both the magicites in Forley's care for now," he informed them as he left. "He has promised not to blow the roof off, so I think we can trust him well enough. Vivi, don't you even think of taking them."

On the floor, she rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna," she whined.

"That will have to suffice, then. I'll give everyone's regards to my brothers. Goodnight, all."

The rest of them farewelled him and waved goodbyes as he left the room and went to let himself out. When he was gone, Thora came to stand by the bed and help Star lay back down.

"Your mother is right, child, you need your rest presently," she said gently.

"So much has happened all at once," Star protested, though she didn't resist the woman's gentle hands. "There is so much to think about, I don't know if I can sleep."

"Well, you must try," Thora told her firmly. "That leg will never heal if you keep troubling yourself like this. We will do our best to do all that thinking for you."

"For now, put it all from your mind," Zeel added. "You will think of it better after you've slept a while longer. You are barely awake as it is."

"Don't you make me fetch the myrmon again, young lady," Thora warned her. "I will if you force me to, but I don't want to do it any more than you do."

Star made a face and finally relaxed a bit. Even a few drops of myrmon on a cloth had a wretchedly bitter smell, and the sudden plunge into a drugged sleep was unpleasant. The sleep it brought wasn't always peaceful, either; and when it brought dreams, they were surreal and strange. At last, Star closed her eyes on her own. In short seconds, she was sleeping a deep, natural, restful sleep.

"I am glad that it wasn't much of a fight," Zeel said quietly. "When she was small, making her go to bed was impossible. Half the time, we would wake in the night to find she had crawled into our bed, usually because she was rolling around and kicking us. None of us would sleep, those nights. The mornings that followed were always torture."

"It seems a wonder you ever got anything done," Thora mused, watching the girl's sleeping face. "She is sleeping soundly enough, now."

Zeel looked down at the letter, still in her hand, then folded it and set it aside. "I am going to keep this in a safe place," she decided. "If I ever do get home, my friends will want to see it. They will need to see it. They are owed that much."

"Do you suppose it will grieve them?"

"I do, but that doesn't mean they won't want to know of it. It has been a very long time, but they still miss their grandfather terribly from time to time. I wonder if lady Zinobia is still alive…?"

Thora laid a hand on her shoulder. "There are ways to find out, I'm sure. I should like very much to know this woman. She sounds like my kind of person, and I would like to know of her quest to find the magicites. It must be as interesting a tale as any."

"Perhaps Star will write of that, too, someday," Leah suggested hopefully.

"She has much to write about, someday," Thora agreed. "For now, though, let her rest. Let her heal, and gather her strength. This has been a productive day for her, but I sense there is much still to come her way."

"I know," Zeel sighed sadly. "I despise it, but I can see that now. In that case, all we can do is to wait for next time…"

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_Afterthoughts…_

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Alanis has backstory blurbs that may be written someday soon, but I won't tease you too badly about that yet. Suffice it to say, she was probably perfectly fine until some jerk—Bree, most likely—made an offhand comment when she was little that effectively shattered her self-confidence forever. Boar spirit aligned with element Earth. Do the math. :P

(Yes, I've assigned spirit animals and elements to Rin's most obvious residents. Like I keep saying, I have no self-control.)

So, the good ship Forley/Alanis has not been exactly _obvious_ this whole time, but it is one of the main ships in the fleet. I've tried to keep in the Rodda-verse spirit by keeping it kind of downplayed and not entirely noticeable, since it isn't a large part of the story, but that isn't really my style. She has a bad habit of going along as if things were normal between characters, only to reach a random point and be like, BAM ROMANCE! What? Didn't you notice? It was my assumption that everyone had noticed, suckers.

Allun and Marlie, Barda and Lindal, and Sholto and Annoki are classic examples of this. I refuse to let Forley and Alanis sucker punch you, too. It's just not right, when there's a ship you could be shipping. :P

And yes, Zeel has had to smack her husband once or twice in the past. ;D

I've been struggling with this chapter for the better part of a month, and I'm a bit tired of seeing it open constantly. Next chapter is the meeting! 8D


	13. The Meeting

_Star of Deltora_ is amazing so far! The fact that Perlain made a brief cameo in _Two Moons_ has brought me boundless joy. The fact that Maris isn't explored at all, and indeed glossed right over, has brought me boundless frustration. :/

In any case, I am going to assume that Britta comes along at some point after _Star's Journey_ , so she will not make an appearance. Oh well. I'm going to blame Emily Rodda for being vague and for not as fast as I am. XD

There is a _Dragonball Z Abridged_ reference in this one, if anyone has watched it all. If you have, you should find it pretty quickly. (Its on every "Best of Vegeta" compilation, ever.) If you haven't, you should. Its magical. XD

It is... Highly possible that the first time I tried uploading this update, I uploaded the wrong chapter. If so, I apologize. Here's the _real_ update. ;D

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_Chapter 13: The Meeting_

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The days that followed passed quickly and easily enough. It was especially helpful that Alanis' mood had changed, after several hours of intense discussion with Forley. She still wanted nothing to do with the magical ruby, and indeed wanted it as far away from her as possible; but she seemed to understand, at least, and was no longer frustrated or angry with him.

However she felt about it, Forley had quickly decided that he needed training with the moonstone, which he said he already felt close to. Zan had been pleased about that, and had volunteered his brother Zaneth to help without asking permission.

"He has a similar stone, and has been training with it for years," Zan had explained. "I'm sure he would be happy to help."

Forley had secretly doubted that, because all this time later he had only seen Zaneth once or twice, at a distance, and Zaneth wasn't exactly a social person.

"I'm sure we will get along," he had said hopefully. "We are the same age, after all, and I've been a great help to his older brother. Oh, we will be fast friends in no time. What could go wrong?"

As they had all feared, the city's newspapers had come out that following morning with front page stories of a small invasion. A gang of ruffians had broken into Rin and attacked several guards, the story had claimed. The gang had caused considerable damage to the compound, and then escaped without a trace. A handsome reward was being offered for their capture, though the description of them was unhelpful at best.

"'Two young men, a young woman, and a ragged little girl, all presumed armed with illegal magicites and quite dangerous,'" Thora had read proudly that morning. "Well, good luck finding such a gaggle of children. There are plenty of all in the city, anywhere you care to look. I should think our little ones are safe for now."

And, as Thora had predicted, Zamiel had become alarmed as soon as he had seen those headlines. How he had known so quickly that his brother was involved, no one could guess. Zan had sulked into Bhlai House that day, hanging his head as if he had been beaten.

"I've never received a scolding quite like that," he has said glumly. "Zamiel just _knew_ , somehow. And you should have seen Ofelia's face. I thought they would tear my head off. How do they do that?"

"Does this change anything?" Star had asked.

"I don't think so. There's nothing they can do about it now. But they did say that if they catch me causing so much trouble again, they will flay me alive. I don't doubt them, either. If that is the case, I don't know if we can be friends anymore."

It had been hard at first to tell if he had been joking or not. When her face had become confused and hurt, he had smirked in annoyance.

"Don't worry, Star. If you have other interesting plans, you can count on me to be there for them. Yesterday's misadventure made me feel more alive than I've ever felt before. Accomplishing something that really matters meant more to me than you can understand. I'll risk the flaying for that. Besides, you would do the same for me."

"I would," she had agreed. "In that case, I have an interesting quest for you right now. Help me into the kitchen, please? The common room is boring me, and I want a glass of water."

Laughing at her pretended distress, he had helped her hobble on a crutch into the kitchen. She had still been getting used to the crutch, but unwilling to sit still just because she was hurt. She had been glad that Zan was allowing her that vanity. She was still sure that being still for too long would drive her mad, though Thora scolded her constantly for it.

The only real problem Star had encountered so far was General Azan, who had stopped by that morning right on time. And, of course, it hadn't taken him long to notice her broken leg and crutch.

"Back so soon, Mahna?" he had sneered. "What's happened with you this time?"

Star hadn't hesitated for a whole second before she had heard Vivi's voice whispering from behind a closed door: "You feel down some stairs."

"I fell down some stairs," she had answered right away, though she had been sure that it wouldn't fool the man. The general had considered it and then shaken his head.

"You are impossibly prone to accidents, girl," he had snapped. "I am sure you pay enough visits here to cover this good woman's rent."

With that, he had turned his attention back to her mother, praying that clumsy Mahna didn't cause her too much trouble, and boasting about how sure he was of where Rin's four invaders might be hiding. He had apparently decided that they were somewhere in the western side of the city, and was launching a search.

Perhaps he had planned to impress the woman he knew as Ferriene with his decisive action, and to pretend that he was doing it all for the sake of her safety. Ferriene was as quiet and bland as ever, shyly agreeing with everything the general said to her. On the inside, though, Star could imagine that Zeel was chuckling to herself over how silly the man sounded.

For herself, Star had just been relieved that the general had believed her lie. Bearing the Earth Sigil made even the smallest white lie nearly impossible, for it hated dishonesty. She wouldn't have believed herself in a million years, with a face and voice like that. She had thanked the heavens that Central Control guards were so easily fooled, the more they fancied themselves.

_He believes that no one would dare lie to his face,_ she had thought. _Not for fear of the terrible things he could do to them. He thinks that threat of punishment is enough, and so he thinks no more of it. He just assumes it. And a very wise man told me once not to assume anything—it makes an ass of you and me, both. People probably lie to Zared Azan all the time, and he doesn't suspect a thing! I've never met such a foolish person._

Star had shrugged it off quickly. All that really mattered was that he didn't suspect her, or her friends, and certainly not Vivi. The girl had come tamely into the common room, looking ordinary for a change, and had played her part as usual. The general had pretended to dote on her, as usual, and left soon thereafter. Normally, his displays of false affection ruined Vivi's appetite; but fooling him so perfectly had delighted her, and it had made her hungrier than ever.

All of this was good, Star had decided right away. As long as the general didn't suspect them, he wouldn't suspect the true purpose of squad C-57's gathering that night.

As that day drew to a close and the squad gathered for the first time at Bhlai House, Star was filled with excitement. Several new faces were due to join them; and June, her friend, was to be among them. What was more, Zamiel was finally speaking to her for the first time since those newspapers had been printed, and he had called her and her cousins together to discuss a surprise for their guests.

"We must all be in this together," he had told them that afternoon. "My men know of you, and that has seemed like trouble enough. But I have thought of it over the last few days, and something is begging me to risk a bit of faith on this. If we are to be a team—all of us—then we must all know of it at the same time."

They had hardly believed what he was asking them. It had seemed almost too good to be true. But he had laughed lightly at their surprise, and promised that he was being truthful. Star, Forley, Leah, and especially Alanis had agreed gladly that if they were ever going to reveal themselves, now was a good time. Knowing that the children of famous heroes were among them, striving alongside them for their freedom, would bring these Zebak rebels hope and courage in the days to come.

Certainly, they needed all the hope and courage they could find, for the odds were impossible.

Now it was evening, and most of squad C-57 had settled themselves in the sprawling main room on the third floor. They were only missing Zamiel, who had gone to fetch June; Zane, who had insisted on bringing his family in tow; and Zirita, whom none of them were expecting to see. Star and Forley hung around the room with the rest, chatting pleasantly, because aside from the Garased brothers they hardly knew much about the other members of the team. Alanis and Leah were in their hidden rooms, planning a dramatic appearance.

Once Zamiel had left the house, Vivi and Zizi had also appeared and darted up the three flights of stairs to make a surprise entrance of their own. Zizi had scurried off to find Leah right away, but Vivi had made herself at home as she always did. The squad was certainly surprised to finally meet the clever thief children they had been warned of; and Vivi was oddly excited to finally meet Zamiel, who she had never actually spoken to before.

"I brought my collection, too, if you want to see it," she told them, showing off her many trinkets. "I may have taken some of them from you guys without knowing it, so I thought you might want them back, if I have them. I'm pretty nice, like that."

Zione and Zara peered especially hard over the girl's collection, and both of them quickly scowled at her.

"That's my grandmother's bracelet," Zara snapped, pointing out one of Vivi's gold bangles.

Zione swore in her native tongue, and said in her thick accent, "That silver locket is mine, also. Give those back at once, you rotten thing!"

"Okay, okay, you don't have to shout it," Vivi complained, stripping off the necklace and bangle. "You're always in guard's clothes. I didn't know it was _you_."

The two women put on their lost jewelry at once. They had come in normal clothes for a change, and now looked very different. In plain shirts, trousers, and dresses, the whole squad looked very different. Most of them couldn't have been taken for Central Control officers for anything.

"I had puzzled over where this went," Zara said thoughtfully, gazing lovingly at her bracelet. "I thought it had fallen off in the street somewhere, perhaps during a scuffle. It was there one moment, and the next thing I knew, it was gone! I was grieved to lose it; it is all I have left of my grandmother. I never even noticed… How did you take it so easily?"

Vivi shrugged. "I dunno. I take a lot of stuff when people aren't looking. They almost never notice. I'm sure sorry about that, lady. Now I'm real glad it was too nice to trade. That would have been awkward, huh?"

Zione looked annoyed and hissed a sigh, then turned on her heel and stalked back to her place. "Let us have some music," she suggested, pulling out the violin case she had brought. "I have Anika with me tonight. Ivan is being a pain again, I'm afraid."

"Who is she talking about?" Star asked Zhena, who was closest to her.

Zhena laughed softly. "We are all specialists, you see, and her great talent is with music. She is trained in the discipline of bard magic, and can bend sound into physical attacks. As you can imagine, Zione is very fond of her instruments. She has given them all names and personalities, as if they were pets, or even children. They all seem the same to us; but to her, each one is different and special from the others."

Star smiled at this. "I can understand that. I feel the same about some of my pens. Each one is like a different friend to me, with their own strengths and weaknesses. It's never occurred to me to name them all, though."

Zhena shook her head with a good natured smile. "That is a thing I can never hope to understand. It seems strange to me."

"When you have a beloved instrument that you work with often, it can be hard not to become so attacked to it. Shaaran says it is a mark of a true artist who is passionate about her work. That simple tool is like an extension of yourself. Without it, making your art is impossible. For artists like her, and myself, and Zione, too, it's very personal. It's how we create things we love."

Zhena hummed to herself as she thought about this, and carefully watched as Zione took out her fiddle and began to tune it. She kept murmuring encouragingly to it, as if it could hear her. It must have still seemed strange to Zhena; but perhaps it now seemed slightly less so.

Star watched this, too, and silently set about thinking of names for all her pens. Somehow, it seemed a natural thing to do, and she wondered why she hadn't thought of it before. She wondered if Shaaran had names for all her paintbrushes.

_I shall have to remember to ask her when I get back.  
_

In little time, Zione was pleased with her fiddle and began playing. It was a merry tune fit for dancing to, and nothing about it suggested that it could hurt anyone. That, of course, was because the rather short woman was only entertaining her friends. Star was intrigued by the idea of this bard magic, and wondered what it must look like in action. For the moment, the music was just pleasant and relaxing.

There was still magic in it, however. It was like an undercurrent in the friendly conversations around the room. As if the music, itself, was a conversation of its own. Suddenly, Star felt an overwhelming urge to be even more social, and to speak with as many people as she could as soon as she could _._

Soon after Zione had started playing, everyone turned to see Thora helping Zeel toil up the stairs. To their further surprise, Simon was sullenly following after them.

"I have no idea how I will get back down again," Zeel panted when she reached the top, "but there was no way I was missing this meeting. At any rate, I feel as though I couldn't stay away, even if I had wanted to."

"I daresay, none of us could have," Thora agreed, sliding a wink in Zione's direction. The woman smiled and winked back, but never paused her song for an instant.

Simon muttered angrily to himself and sulked off into a corner by himself. "Just keep that noise down," he muttered as he passed Zione. She paid him no notice and went on playing, as if he had never spoken.

With a start, Star realized that she no longer needed to see what bard magic looked like. She had been seeing and feeling it ever since Zione had begun playing.

_She is weaving a spell over this house,_ she thought. _A spell to pull us all together, and to make us want to talk to each other, and to keep us all in a friendly mood. I never knew that magic could work quite like this. How wonderful!_

By the time the first new people arrived, Vivi had convinced Forley and Zak to dance with her. As soon as she saw new faces, she bounded right up to them and asked them to dance, too. The bard magic had continued to work its charms, and not one person she asked was able to deny her. Zione played tune after tune, and the large room filled quickly with smiling, talking, dancing people.

And so Zamiel returned with June, and they found a small but very happy crowd. He smiled down at her and bowed graciously.

"There, you see? Dancing! Just like I said," he told her. "It was hardly a lie, after all."

June smiled her thanks and darted off to find Star, who had already seen her and was hobbling up to meet her. When June saw her crutch and splinted leg, she gasped in alarm.

"Mahna, your leg! What happened to you?"

Star shrugged. "I fell down some stairs."

"But—" June lowered her voice and asked, "What about your healing powers? You fixed my ankle before, in the blink of an eye. Can't you…?"

"I'm afraid not. This gift runs on its own time, it seems."

For a moment, June look dismayed. Then, seeing that it couldn't be helped, she sighed and let her face break into a grin.

"Oh, Mahna, this is wonderful," she exclaimed, looking around in excitement. "So many people came tonight—and I'm one of them! This is so exciting!"

"I know, it really is," Star agreed, clasping her friend's trembling hands. "It's better than we had thought it would be. I'm so glad we found a way for you to be here tonight. It would have killed me if you'd had to miss it."

"It would have killed me, too. I still can't believe how suddenly I got involved in all this. When Zamiel came for me earlier, I had wondered if I was dreaming. So, why exactly have we all been summoned here tonight? Of course you've had to keep it quiet, but surely something important is happening."

Star hesitated, unsure of how to answer without spoiling all the surprises in store for everyone.

"Something important is happening tonight," she said slowly. "But you will have to wait until we are all gathered and settled down a bit. Thora's having us bring up some food before we discuss it all, too. A small friend of ours always refuses to explain herself until we've fed her. Thora has decided that this is a somewhat wise frame of mind."

"Hm. Food would be nice right about now," June agreed. "Between cruel sisters and strict teachers, I haven't had a proper meal in days. My instructor says I need to lose weight, if I'm to be a great dancer."

Star wrinkled her nose. "That hardly seems fair."

June looked sheepish. "I suppose I do get a bit lightheaded sometimes. But trust me, it's better than anything I was doing before. I'm famished, but I've never been happier before in my life. Really, it's large thanks to you, Mahna. If you hadn't given me that coded note, I wouldn't be here at all—not with the rebellion, not dancing, not anything. I would have still been an ordinary slave with no future. And now… All of that has changed. It is a dream come true."

To Star, it didn't sound like a great change of pace, and it certainly didn't sound like a dream come true. Her friend was still going to bed hungry and exhausted and enslaved every night. In spite of that, though, June was now going to bed happy and filled with hope and purpose. That was progress. A step in the right direction. One more small light in the dark kept alight for others to find their way by.

Like everyone said, June didn't seem like much at all. She was only one odd-looking young girl, one slave in a large household, one very small person in a big city. But she was so courageous, and so much stronger than she seemed. If she could dare to fight for her freedom, Star couldn't see what excuse the city's big, loud people had.

"Help me bring the food up here," she suggested. "We have a cable cart that goes down to the kitchen that we will use. It's only big enough for trays of tea and treats, so I can't use it to get down; but if a few people go downstairs and load the cart, I can haul it up and send it back."

June nodded in agreement. "We can have it done in little time, then. I'll find some other people to help."

She went off into the crowd to find a few helpers, and Star hobbled off toward the little door in the wall where the cable cart was. As she did, she saw Zamiel ushering a few more people into the third floor. One of them was Ofelia, who he greeted with a hug and a kiss. Behind her came Zane with his wife and three young children, the two parents apologizing for arriving so late.

Zamiel shooed them off to mingle with the other guests, insisting that their tardiness was no trouble, and even patting the eldest child affectionately on the head. He looked like he wanted to follow them and enjoy his work so far; but he tore himself away from the stairs and came to speak with Star in low voices.

"I could have done without that cagey little girl," he commented. "You didn't have to let her in, you know."

"You mean Vivi? We couldn't have kept her out if we tried," Star said plainly. "If we had turned her away, she would have found a way to sneak in. She was determined to be here, like all the rest of us."

"I don't like the trouble she's led you and my brother into recently," he frowned. "I know what the lot of you did, and I know that it was her idea somehow."

Star shrugged. "Well, she did help, but it was far from her idea. The four of us will explain it all later. We have a lot to tell everyone."

"She won't try to rob any of these people, will she? I'm trying to convince these people to trust me, and they won't like having a thief in their midst."

"Don't worry. She's here to help. Besides, many people here are of Central Control; she has already danced with several of them, and hasn't even realized it yet. But she will remember their faces when she sees them on the street, and she will avoid them in the future. She's had to return some things to your own people tonight, and she made light of it, but I think she was embarrassed."

Zamiel glanced into the crowd, picking Vivi out quickly and watching her warily. "Do you think her days of robbing guards are over?"

"Maybe. She still refuses to trust most grown people, and that honestly doesn't surprise me. She doesn't care for guards any more than regular people do, either. I do think she will take care to pick and choose her victims, though. When any of them might be on our side behind their uniforms, she won't want to rob a friend."

"You trust her that much? It seems like a stretch to me."

"Vivi's just a little girl with an even littler brother to care for, in a big and unforgiving world. She is only doing the best she can, like all the rest of us. For all her annoying flaws, she is a good person. And she believes in your cause and wants very much to help you. Vivi could be a great help, if you would let her."

Zamiel sighed in defeat. "That will have to do for now, then. Promise me you won't let her lead you into more trouble, alright? It's hard enough keeping track of my own people, without having to worry about your people as well."

Star hesitated, wishing she could promise that, but still unable to lie.

"I can't promise you anything," she said bluntly. "When we explain what actually happened on rest day, you will understand."

Zamiel was aghast for half a second, but his attention was pulled away by the voices of his squad cheering in excitement. Zione's latest merry tune had ended abruptly, and now she was grinning in delight toward the stairs.

"Rita? Rita, is that really you?"

"Rita, you made it!"

"I can't believe you changed your mind!"

"Everyone, look! Zirita came after all!"

Indeed, she had. The last member of squad C-57 had appeared at the top of the stairs, smiling bashfully at her warm welcome. The handsome man who had come with her proudly put his arm around her and escorted her into the room.

"Well," she answered, "we heard you were having a party, and we simply couldn't miss it."

It was all far too much for the rest of the squad. The other nine of them ran and swarmed around Zirita and her companion, exclaiming together in joy. Star's heart warmed at the sight. It was very like when Zan had returned home, when they had thought they had lost him forever. The rest of the gathering had also stopped to watch the happy reunion, and several of them touched their own warmed hearts.

After a moment, Zirita pushed her friends out of the way until she found Zan, and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"You were right all along, Lion Man," she told him, calling him by an affectionate nickname. "I do still need you, and you still need me. I lost sight of that, and made terrible excuses for it. Forgive me. I should have listened to you, that night on the wall."

Zan grinned at her, overjoyed. "What made you change your mind?" he asked.

Zirita reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a thick leather book. Star felt her heart soaring with pride and triumph. It was _Rowan of Rin_.

"One small person can make all the difference," she said. "And no one has felt smaller than I, lately. It is time I made my own differences in this horrible world of ours. It's brought back the courage I had lost. And…"

She looked up into the shining eyes of her companion and let her head rest on his shoulder. "It's brought my happiness back too."

The rest of their team looked completely pleased and content to hear this, relieved to have her back. Zamiel, their leader, pulled the woman he loved like a sister into a fierce, welcoming embrace.

"Welcome back to the world of the living, my friend."

Zirita said nothing as she hugged her captain, just glad to be home again.

It was a beautiful moment, and Zak tactlessly ended it by playfully punching Zirita's companion in the arm. "And welcome to you, too, Misha," he laughed. "Of course we haven't forgotten you."

"Stop that, you silly man," Misha teased back, cuffing Zak over the head. "I wouldn't have come here without my Rita. You know that."

Zak pushed his spectacles back in place, not offended in the least. "I knew you could do it."

The ten of them shared a laugh at that, and Zirita brushed at her streaming eyes. For the first time in weeks, their team was on the same page. They numbered ten in all, and their squad was fully functional; and yet Zirita had plainly been missing from them. Now that they were really a team again, all ten of them seemed bigger, somehow.

Suddenly, Zamiel no longer looked like the clumsy, nervous host of a hopeful meeting. He looked once again like the confident leader this rebellion needed. Like the leader he was plainly born to be.

"That is the last of us, then," he announced. "A few good men and women follow me downstairs for a moment. There are doors and windows to be locked, and refreshments to be brought up. We are in for a long and eventful night."

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_Afterthoughts…_

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One more chapter! Finally! Thanks for hanging in there, folks. *blows kisses*


	14. The Great Reveal

Part of this was supposed to be part of last chapter, but it was starting to drag out. Besides, this is the final chapter of _Moonstone Fragment_ , so it may as well end with a bang. 8D

Also, clearing up an issue I should have thought to clear up _way_ earlier in the story. Brown eyes are genetically unheard of in the Zebak—maybe even impossible—so when Forley mentions using special eye drops to hide his….. Yeah, I probably should have said at some point before now that he has special eye drops to hide his brown eyes. Sorry about that. :/

(Hence, a lot of subconscious eye imagery ended up in this chapter. :P)

A final note—Zeel isn't just a made up name, you know. It means _enthusiasm_. ;D

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_Chapter 14: The Great Reveal_

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There was a cluster of other children at the meeting, brought along by eager parents who hadn't been able to leave them at home. Zamiel had tried at first to make Vivi remain with them, playing and out of trouble in a different room. He had quickly found—as Star had warned him—that this was all but impossible.

"I'm not just a dumb little kid like them, you know," she had protested. "I'm big! I can do stuff! I'm here to be with the rebellion, not a bunch of house rats."

Zamiel had frowned, all too aware that those parents didn't like the way this loud, obnoxious child talked about their well-behaved children.

"So, you think you're grown, do you?" he had asked with a very forced smile.

Vivi had crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm sneakier than you are, that's for sure."

Clearly seeing that it was no use, and that Vivi would do as she pleased no matter what she was told to do, Zamiel had given up and let her have a seat with the grown-ups. She had plunked herself down between Forley and Zeel, who she liked and trusted, and knew better than most of the people there. Star was certain, though, that she had probably robbed half of these gathered people in the past, and could probably even remember what she had stolen from them.

It was a decent crowd for a first meeting. There were nearly twenty newcomers, all of them faces that Star recognized from around Southside. Many of them were regular customers of Thora's, or at least related to them. That gruff female guard with the migraine was there, wearing a nice dress that Star never would have thought she might own. There was that unfortunate young man with arthritic hands, gingerly flexing his fingers while he wasn't using them. There was that young mother, too—the one whose little son had lung problems, who had been forced to bring him along to the meeting. The boy was now in that other room with Zane's children, and the two or three others who had been brought along.

Zione had just put away her fiddle and sat down to join the gathering. The beautiful bard magic that had called them all there was gone now, leaving a serious silence in its place. While the large group gladly helped itself to the food and drink that had been brought up, there was little talk. Mostly, there was silent eating and drinking, and a sense of breathless waiting for the true business of this meeting to begin.

Zamiel graciously allowed his guests to have their fill, and waited nearly half an hour before he rose and cleared his throat. All eyes turned at once to him, waiting with anxious excitement for him to speak.

"This is… Truly, such an honor," he began slowly, his eyes sweeping over every face before him. "The summons we sent to you was only a hunch, something we hoped dearly would take hold. We passed around more than forty notes, exactly the same as the ones you received. Whether our invitation was declined or merely not understood, we may never know; but only the nineteen of you present have answered us. It is more than we had ever hoped for.

"And so, on the behalf of Central Control squadron C-57, I welcome you with a glad heart—to what we hope will be the first of many such gatherings."

The nineteen newcomers looked around at each other in wonder, marveling that their mere presence could be such an honor, and sometimes murmuring suspiciously about those who hadn't answered the summons.

"Listen," Zamiel continued, clapping his hands. "As you know if you are here now, I am captain Garased, and I lead squad C-57. As you will also know, we have been making plans in secret to spark a city-wide rebellion against our mutual master, the Dragon Lord. The ten of us cannot do this alone. Our objective this night has been to gather loyal, determined friends, who we hope to train as our leaders and allies."

Several people gasped in alarm.

"Leaders?" scoffed a woman in a worn apron. "Just look at us! Blacksmiths, bakers, roof menders, gardeners, homemakers—do we look like leaders to you?"

"Not at this precise moment, no," Zamiel agreed coolly. "But in time and with some direction, I can see each and every person here playing that part, each in his or her own way. We have suddenly become many—many skills, many talents, many experiences. There is a wealth of knowledge between the lot of us. We may be very different, one to the next; but if we can learn to work together as a team, as my squad has, we can become unstoppable."

"Ah, I see," said a man with rough, calloused hands. "And once we become leaders, we take our training and use it to lead others. And we train more leaders to lead still others, and so on and so forth, until we have multiplied tenfold."

Zamiel nodded at the man. "It was the aim of the ancient Dragon Lords, when they enslaved men like my ancestors to their service. Central Control multiplied rapidly in those days, once they were unable to escape it. Now we shall turn the tables, and play the same old trick on the Dragon Lord."

"I do like the sound of that," mused the arthritic young man. "It makes plain sense, of course. It will take no small amount of caution, though."

"Which means that progress will not happen overnight," Zamiel agreed. "It will have to unfold slowly, over several months, as you carefully choose and train your own people. Finding faithful people is hard; but every person knows a few. And each of those few know a few, themselves. As our experienced friend here has said, it will grow from there."

The people murmured together for a moment, most of them sounding to agree and even be excited.

"Very well, then," said another unrecognizable guard. Her hair was long and loose, but still crimped from being tightly braided all day. "You are only a young captain, Zamiel, but you have always proven yourself to be clever and capable. More than that, I have never known you to let your men down, not even in the face of brutal punishment. I am willing to trust you, and follow your cause. What did you have in mind, as far as this training of yours?"

Zamiel smiled his thanks and continued, "Some of us already know what it is to lead others. Whether through military commands, or managing hired hands, or raising families. This is a good place to start, and a way that many people here can be of help immediately. The best course of action I see is—"

"Now wait just a moment," snapped the woman in the worn apron. "Not all of us here have agreed to this. What if we don't want this training? What if we can't lead others?"

"I'm not forcing anyone to do anything," Zamiel insisted. "I'm only trying to say, this is a place to start. We must start somewhere."

"Well, I don't want to do this," the woman said dourly. "I've no knowledge of leading others, and frankly I don't want it."

"I meant no offense, ma'am. What would you rather do?" he asked sincerely. "If you have something specific in mind, we would all be glad of it."

"I want to fight," she answered immediately. "Put a blade in my hand and let the enemy come! I am not afraid."

"Yeah!" Vivi squealed suddenly. "I'm not afraid, too! We can fight together, lady. It'll be great!"

Zeel clamped her hand on Vivi's shoulder and forced her to sit back down, giving her a warning look. "Talk of fighting can come later," she said in a grave voice. "At the moment, we've only a handful of unorganized people, few weapons, and no plan. Blind enthusiasm won't save us."

Most of the nineteen turned to look at Zeel in surprise. Like general Azan, they only knew her as a tame, soft-spoken widow who never raised her voice, and certainly never spoke so sharply or plainly. Seeing her speak out at all must have surprised them. Few of them knew Vivi, either, and they must have wondered how the two were suddenly so familiar.

Zeel's words hadn't pleased the rough, worn woman. She scowled in anger and confusion and crossed her arms.

"I came here tonight on behalf of a family who is hanging on by a thread," she growled. "I came here believing there was a plan in place, ready to be put into action. I came prepared to fight, to give my life, if I had to. Instead I've found this—a cobbled together band of rebels with no plan to speak of, asking me to be patient when I am already at my wits end."

Several of them thought about this, slowly nodding in agreement. Many of them were young men and women, who had perhaps some to the meeting hoping the same. Suddenly, many of them looked impatient and unsure of themselves.

"That is a valid point," Zamiel answered after a moment. "We are all tired of living this way, and impatient to change it. That is why we must start at the beginning, and carefully plan our future. Our freedom hangs in the balance. It is worth being careful for, and doing things properly the first time."

"What is the point, then," the woman demanded sullenly, looking down at her hands. "We will never get anywhere, at that rate. It is hopeless."

Even those who had agreed with her impatience looked puzzled at her despair. They exchanged glances, wondering over her change in mood when she had been so passionate seconds before. Star could see clearly that the woman was crushed with disappointment.

Zamiel came and knelt beside her, placing his strong hand over hers. "There is hope, my good woman. We are far from alone in this fight."

The woman shook her head without looking at him. "I fail to see that. We are cut off from the world, and they from us. They fear and despise our people. No one else in the world cares what happens to us."

"You might be surprised. A few friends of mine are present tonight who just might change your mind."

Nearly everyone at the table began glancing among themselves, wondering which of them Zamiel meant. The worn woman scowled up at him in confusion.

"I don't understand you," she grumbled. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Zeel glanced at Star and Forley, then nodded. It seemed to have been decided that the moment had come. She began to climb to her feet, reaching for her daughter.

"Star, help me up," she commanded, calling the girl by her real name. Star did as she was told without a word, feeling a thrill of excitement. Already, the rest of the gathering was staring at them in confusion, wondering what had gotten into them.

All at once, the woman they knew as Ferienne was gone. The soft voice and vacant eyes and drooping shoulders had come to life before them. The woman facing them stood so straight and tall, so full of life and confidence and fire that she could have been a warrior. Everything about her was suddenly breathtaking.

"You know _me_ ," she said firmly, not just to the worn woman, but to the whole assembly. "I am Zeel Moakel, daughter of the Plains, and I am here to help you."

She paused and allowed the gathering a few moments to gasp or exclaim in surprise. Her face remained firm and unmoved; but Star knew that it was just another mask. On the inside, she knew that her mother had been waiting patiently to see just what kind of sensation she would cause, and was now smugly pleased with herself.

"But you vanished," someone cried out. "Vanished, without a trace! They were saying you might have perished! How have you done this?"

"With a little help and some careful thinking, is how," Zeel answered plainly, crossing her arms. "If you knew the tales as well as you should, you would know that I can hide myself anywhere I wish, for as long as I wish. I did it once. I've simply done it again, that is all."

"But your mark—" began another person, only to be cut off by Star and Forley. The two couldn't stand it any longer and had begun laughing. Star rubbed at the false mark on her face and then showed the crowd her smudged fingers.

"They aren't real," she explained with satisfaction. "It's only black henna, and sometimes black kohl when it starts to fade."

Now it was her turn to relish her work. She picked June out of the crowd and gave her a wink.

"We came from the west, ourselves," Forley told them all with a gracious bow. "On a rescue mission that hardly went as planned. You know me as Brahna, fisherman-turned-baker; but my name is Forley, and I have, in fact, been a baker all my life. My father's name is Allun—perhaps you've heard of him?"

There came another inevitable wave of gasping and exclaiming. Some people were even very pale. Of course they had heard of his father; Allun was a favorite of anyone who read the stories. The man was a celebrity in Habaharan, even if he would never know it. And now Forley was standing before this band of rebels, smiling pleasantly at them and looking exactly like his father would have.

"Well, if you think that's remarkable," Zeel said proudly, "perhaps you haven't met my lovely daughter. She is here in this room right now."

These people were already dizzy with shock, and now some of them looked like they might faint. Almost all of them turned their attention right to Star, the only one of them who hadn't introduced herself. She could see alarm in their faces, too:

_Daughter?_ Who might have been her father, then? Where was he?

Hoping she wouldn't frighten these people to death, she grinned and dropped a polite curtsey, deciding to be brief and to the point.

"I am Star of Rin, daughter of Rowan the Titan, chronicler and writer of books."

It dawned on her that if she had been fully Zebak, like her mother, she would have had a family name to give the gathering. But Rin had never held such a tradition. Their children were only ever given one name, a name that was all theirs and theirs alone, followed by a title that changed with time. A child called herself by the names of her parents. An adult called herself by what kind of work she did—fletcher, blacksmith, writer, farmer of corn or wheat or barley. It was their way of identifying and understanding each other.

For now, Star was in between the two. She was still a child who needed her parents' care and guidance; but she also knew what she was meant to do, and she had worked hard at it from an early age. Therefore, her name and its title were long and complicated. Not at all like her mother. Many people also knew the story of Zeel's parents, the Moakels, and what had happened to them. So much could be known of her, just by that one word. It was so much simpler, yet so much bigger.

Long as it was, her name had been more than enough for the gathering. Nearly every guest jumped to his or her feet, jewel-colored eyes wide, hands over hearts and gaping mouths. As Star had expected, one person, who had been growing paler and paler, finally fainted.

Star couldn't blame them for being so excited. Her presence—her very existence—meant so many things to them all at once. Her father was the Earth Titan, who had made his way into their city as a boy; and now she was here, herself. Unlike him, though, she had stayed. She had seen their troubles, seen the dangers they faced every day, and she had stayed with them. She had shared those troubles with them, and treated them kindly. She knew them. And they knew her.

And they now knew that her father was not Zebak, that he was in fact their perfect opposite, and all that went with that. Her being alive in a distant land would have infuriated the Dragon Lord. Living here, in Habaharan, right under the Dragon Lord's nose, put her in terrible danger at every second.

And yet she had settled herself in the thick of these troubled people, and she had stayed.

She scanned the crowd until she spotted June again. The girl was as badly shocked as the rest, but there was a look in her pale green eyes. It wasn't anger or delight or grief, but something else. Something Star couldn't quite see properly from the distance.

_I've seen that face somewhere before_ , she thought. _But where…?_

She hadn't asked directly, but she felt the medallion under her dress grow a bit warm, and a memory flowed into her mind. It hadn't been too long ago that Vivi had guessed for herself who Star's father was, and a similar look of awed disbelief had come over her young face faster than her usual cheeky grin.

_Ah, yes. That's the face,_ she thought with a smile. _It means so little to me, sometimes. To me, Rowan is just papa—my father, who has sung to me, and healed my cuts and scrapes, and tucked me into bed for as long as I have lived. To these people, he is a Titan with divine power. His stories have given them strength and hope. If he were here in my place, they would look to him and see their savior._

_Well, papa isn't here. I am, and so is the Earth sigil. I only hope I can be a good replacement…_

Star was still smiling patiently, and the gathering was still in an uproar, when a voice suddenly broke over the noise.

"But wait! It gets even better."

A door in the wall had opened from the inside, and there stood Alanis, grinning for the first time in months. Leah was bravely peering out the door from inside the room, fiddling nervously with her spectacles. Zizi was peeking out from behind her, anxious to see what was going on, but afraid to show his unmarked face.

Of course there came another round of noise from the crowd. There might have been a chance of Star and Forley lying about being from the west; they looked enough like the Zebak to be pulling an enormous practical joke on everyone. Now that they had seen Alanis and Leah, with their pale skin and eyes of brown and emerald, there was no mistake, and certainly no joke. Bhlai House was full of Rinfolk. It had been for months, and none of them had suspected for an instant in all that time.

None of them had seen such pale skin before, Star realized. They had never seen brown eyes like Leah's, either. It must have seemed to them as incredible as anything else.

Forley was chuckling to himself as he strode to the open door. "Leah, come on," he called to her. "Come out and meet everyone. You've been practicing for this."

Slowly and very cautiously, Leah began inching toward her brother's outstretched hand. She kept her eyes fixed on Forley's and didn't dare look to either side, as Thora had told her to. Keeping her focus locked on her brother in this way, she came close enough to take his hand and move nearly all the way into the crowded main room.

Those who knew Leah well were impressed and very proud of her. She was shaking a bit but standing tall, looking shy and awkward but not panicked or anxious. It was clearly still an effort for her, and she didn't dare look directly at the gathered people, but she had done so well. Forley was beaming with pride as he put his arm around her.

"This is Leah, my sister," he told the people. "We don't look much alike, but you can tell. We share our father's eyes. At least, we do when I don't have colored eye drops in mine."

Their friends and family all laughed lightly at his joking—especially Ofelia, who had supplied him those eye drops on his first night in the city. During the day, his eyes were dyed pale blue to match Star's, because they were pretending to be brother and sister. At night, when the dye had faded and his eyes were dark again, it was suddenly clear as day who his sister really was.

Unused to all the attention, Leah waved feebly, mumbling hello, and continued to not look directly at the people. She was using all her strength to keep herself together. She had done so well, but was plainly starting to lose her nerve. Seeing this, and that she wasn't going to speak up, Forley gave her a squeeze.

"Don't worry about her, she just has a problem with crowds is all," he explained. "But she's working very hard on that, so that she can be a part of this, too. It means much to us both."

"It means much to me, as well," Alanis agreed, leaning playfully on his shoulder. "Are you going to introduce me, or had you forgotten I was here?"

"Of course I hadn't," he smiled back. "I was only saving the best for last, is all. Everyone, meet Alanis."

"The last of us, I assure you," she added with a polite bow. Then she straightened and strode to stand boldly beside Star. "I have famous parents, too. Strong John is my father."

Alanis and Star grinned at each other, nearly shoulder to shoulder, both imagining how very like their own fathers they must have looked. The crowd had quieted down a bit, perhaps used to surprises by now, and mostly just marveling at their unexpected allies in silent awe. Perhaps some were looking at the two girls and thinking that this was exactly how they had pictured some of their favorite characters from their favorite tales.

Already, Star could tell that tonight had done Alanis a lot of good. Being seen and appreciated for who she was—it was all she had ever wanted it. Now she would have it. These people only knew her brother and sister as a brave, skinny boy and an overly curious little girl. No one here knew what they had grown up to do, or exactly who they had become. No one here would compare her to them.

Besides, like Star, Alanis was _here_ , with them. Her brother and sister were not. Real and brave and magical as they truly were, they were only as helpful as characters in a fantastic story.

Suddenly, Vivi jumped to her feet and puffed out her chest like a bird.

"And I'm Vivi!" she cheered. "You can't forget about me!"

Zeel made a face at the child and rubbed her temple. "Vivi, you have lived your whole life in this city. You aren't from the west."

"I know, but you still can't leave me out," the girl insisted, fists on her hips. "I'm important, too, you know. Anyway, I got excited."

Peevish as she was, her outburst was just what the gathering needed. Most couldn't help but laugh, amused by the girl's earnestness. Some of them had calmed themselves enough to take their places on the floor again. Star liked the look of this at once, and turned to help her mother back into her place.

Now that those very interesting introductions were out of the way, there was a great deal to explain. It would certainly be best if everyone was sitting down to hear it all. The people seemed to sense this also, because once a few people started sitting down, the rest all collected themselves and followed suit. Even the sour woman in the worn apron looked cheered, and very interested.

Star made a little room for Alanis to sit beside her, and then looked to see what Forley and Leah were doing. He was trying to tug her toward the circle of seated people, but she wasn't budging.

"Come on, its only for a little while, and you're doing so well," Star heard him insisting. "It's going to be fine."

But Leah was shaking her head, remaining rooted in place just inside the door to her hidden room. "No. Not yet. I'm not ready," she told him, face flushed and nearly panting.

"I don't want you to miss anything."

"I'll just stay here. I can hear everything from right here. I'll be alright. Thank you."

Forley didn't look happy to leave his sister hoovering there, apart from the group like a ghost, but he finally gave up and went back to his place. Looking over his shoulder, he couldn't help smiling to see that Zizi had run to take his place. Leah scooped him into her arms and sat his small weight on her hip, so that he could watch and listen with her. Some people must have wondered who the dark, unmarked little boy was, and if he was also kin to them somehow.

Seeing everyone amazed but settled again, Zamiel cleared his throat to gain their attention. He, too, looked very pleased with himself.

"As I said," he told them, "we are not alone in this fight. These young people of Rin came into our city intent on rescuing a beloved mother, and ended up trapped here with us, instead. In that time, they have invested themselves in our troubles, and in our rebellion. You have all come to know Zeel, Star, and Forley as the friends they are; and in little time, you will know Alanis and Leah just as well."

Still smiling proudly, Zeel lovingly patted her daughter's hair. "You have much to thank them for already. Star was the one who wrote the book you all love so much. Believe me when I say, _Rowan of Rin_ is the perfect truth, and she worked very hard to make sure of it."

One woman in the crowd ducked her head a bit before saying, "We wouldn't doubt that for a second, miss. True or not, I feel it had inspired us all. I daresay, it was much of the reason we all came here tonight."

Star felt pride swelling in her heart. "That was what I had hoped for, when I first began writing down my father's stories. I had supposed it was meant only for his people, who sometimes need to be reminded of what matters. I hadn't dreamed before that the stories would find such a use in this place—I had never dreamed to be here at all, a year ago. But written words have always been my great talent, and I always knew that I would do great things with them. I'm glad that it has helped our people so much."

"The printing press certainly helped," Zan added from down the circle. "She had guessed before that she would have to make copies of her book by hand, because they have so few machines in the west. Discovering the library down the street and the press in its basement brought her more joy than I could have believed possible."

"We have other plans to be of use, if our fine leader will allow us," Forley continued. "We've recently come across a pair of magicites of our very own, and we plan to begin training with them as soon as we can. We could work wonders among the people with such tools, if we can think of a way to do it without being caught."

Zamiel cleared his throat again, a little more harshly this time. "That is a discussion for another day, my friend. Your being here and willing to help us is more than enough, for now."

"There are things we can for you right now, too," Alanis added quickly, seeing a place where she could be useful. "I know a thing or two of leadership, myself, and would be happy to teach anyone who wants to know more. I've also been taught of armies and battle strategies from my father and teachers, and from my sister. You will remember Annad as an accident-prone child, but she has grown into a fine and clever warrior. She has taught me everything she knows. I think she would be proud to see you learning it, as well."

It was strange that Alanis would mention her sister and even praise her so, when she was so glad to finally be out of her shadow. Still, on a normal day, she loved her siblings and often looked to them for guidance. She had been so angry before, it was easy to forget that she missed them very much, and that being without their good sense sometimes made her feel unsure of herself.

Tonight, she was honoring them and all they had given her. She didn't seem at all unsure of herself, now. For that, and for all she had offered so readily, Zamiel looked impossibly relieved.

"So, you see," he said, "we have magic and might on our side already. All that is left is to put it into action, one step at a time. Yes, our progress will be slow; but it will happen, and it will move in a steady direction."

He knelt by the worn woman, who had spoken all their fears and frustrations, and took her hand. "There are people in this wide world who care about us. They are here with us, and they have been aiding our cause all along. Tell me, good woman, what is your name?"

Slightly ashamed of herself, the woman kept her eyes fixed on her lap. "It is Dania."

"Then listen to me, Dania. We are all afraid. The days to come will be filled with danger, and we are all afraid. But we are all more afraid of the days to come should we do nothing. These children of Rin would rather die fighting for what they believe in, than languish here another day as we have. There is something to be learned in that, but lady Moakel is also right. Blind enthusiasm won't save us today. There is a way to have both. It won't be swift, and it won't be easy, but it could save us all. I know what a cruel thing it is to ask you to be patient with us; it is a cruel thing to ask of anyone living in this city. But can you not try?"

Finally, Dania lifted her eyes and faced him. She kept her lips pressed tight together, but she squeezed his hand and nodded.

"Very well, captain. I will believe in you."

"I thank you for the consideration. It is a hard thing for us all. Believe me, there are many people here who would rather try their luck storming the palace right now. Our small friend here could probably do it all on her own," he said, jerking his head at Vivi. She stuck her tongue out at him again, but he ignored her continued, "That day will come in time, and I hope that you will be there with us when it does."

Dania managed a small but fierce smile for him. "I will be. That is a promise."

Reassured, Zamiel left her and returned to his place at the head of the circle.

"Slow as our progress will be, there are plans in place. I'm no stranger to clever strategies, either. I've spent the last many months making all sorts of plans, and plans within each one. There is a task for everyone present, and something each of us can take into the streets tomorrow morning. It will all require caution, cunning, and no small amount of charm; but we are a team now, Rinfolk and Zebak alike. Such an alliance has never been seen before, which I believe is a good omen. If we work together, we can pull this off. Together, we can win our freedom once and for all."

And to this, after all that had happened and all that was sure to come, not one person could help but cheer for their brave new leader.

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_Afterthoughts_

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No, obvious as it may seem, Zamiel is NOT working for the Shadow Lord. That is also a promise.

Yes, the ending of _Rowan and the Travelers_ inspired the ending of this chapter. It's the last one, after all! 8D


	15. Six Months Later...

It's so exciting that _Dragon Queen_ went well enough to bother continuing this thing! Oh boy, have I got some exposition for you, readers. ;D

The title of this installation will become clear down the road, though you may begin to guess at it soon enough. We will actually see a little magic in this first chapter, as well as some old and new acquaintances. There is a bit of catch-up to do first, as quite a lot of time has passed by this point, so let's just dive into the meat and potatoes, shall we?

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_Chapter 1: Six Months Later…_

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The bells of Habaharan were just beginning to toll, calling the Zebak capital city to wake from its slumber. The sun was rising steadily over the city, even earlier than it had the day before; it rose earlier and set later with each passing day, and the nights were shorter and warmer because of it. The summer solstice was only days away now.

Star heard the bells in the distance, but ignored them. She had already been up for a while, preparing for the day ahead, and was just finishing as the bells began to chime. She had dressed herself in a frilly summer frock, striped stockings, and laced up boots, and tied up her long brown hair with lacey bows. She looked like nearly any other young girl in Southside. Now, as she faced the mirror in her attic apartment, she held a small wooden box of cosmetics to finish her appearance.

It was a funny thing, she thought as she ringed her pale eyes with black kohl. Such fashion would have caused an outrage if she had been in her homeland. She was only half Zebak; but her other half was of Rin, far away in the west. Her father's sturdy people preferred rough living, and valued strength and hard work above all else. They had no time to waste on fashion and cosmetics. If they knew that she now took an hour to dress before work, they would be thoroughly ashamed of her.

The people of Habaharan believed very differently, though. Only the lowest, most pitiful of slaves hadn't the time to make themselves up every morning. The Zebak were a prosperous people, and almost all of them had the time and money to spare on improving their looks. Such things were a social custom to them, especially among their women and young girls. If Star wanted to appear like the rest of them—which she did—it was a necessary change.

She heard a groan behind her and turned to look. Still asleep in pallets on the floor, her two cousins were moaning in annoyance at the sound of the bells.

"Oh, that blasted noise," Alanis complained, pulling her pillow over her head. "Why can't these people just learn to rise by the sun, like normal folk? You can hardly miss seeing it here!"

"Just ignore it," Leah sighed beside her, not opening her eyes. "It will pass soon enough. It always does."

Satisfied that they weren't going to really wake up any time soon, Star turned back to the mirror and looked herself over. She had to admit, she liked the way she looked much better than she used to. Not that there had been anything wrong with her looks before, but she felt that the cosmetics definitely improved her face. She liked the way her eyes looked now, shaded with pale pink powder and lined with kohl. She also liked having her hair tied in bows and ribbons, the way she had always wanted to have it. She had hoops of gold hanging from her ears, and a matching chocker around her neck, which went well with the round shape of her face, and somehow made her look more grown up.

Star smiled with satisfaction at her reflection. She looked pretty and put together, and wouldn't stand out in any way.

Except she noticed one thing out of place, and leaned closer to the mirror for a better look at the fake mark on her face. It was a simple line of black, from her hairline to the tip of her nose, stained there with black henna by her hostess. It was the same mark that all Zebak people bore from the time they were five years old, a feature that she simply couldn't do without in this place. The henna was far better than lamp grease or kohl, which smudged all too easily, and lasted for weeks without fading. On closer inspection, though, it seemed that those weeks were passing quickly. Her mark was beginning to fade.

Star sighed at this. _It will still suffice for now,_ she decided, _but I'll have to talk to Ofelia about it. She will have to help me apply more henna tonight, before I go to sleep. I should mention it to Forley, too. Our false marks were put in place at the same time; so if mine is already fading, his will be, too._

Taking care not to disturb her cousins, she slowly, quietly opened the attic door and made her way downstairs.

In the bakery on the ground floor, the rest of the household had already been up and hard at work since before she had gotten out of bed. She found her cousin Forley in the kitchen, whistling merrily to himself as he pulled trays of bread from the oven.

"Ah, good, you're awake," he greeted brightly when he saw her. "You should head to the front, _sister_. Ofelia and her father could use a hand with the morning crowd."

"Do you need any help with that, _brother_?" she asked first.

"Oh, I have this well in hand. In all seriousness, though, the door is about to open and there is already a line halfway down the block. It will be a glorious rush; and they will prefer to be served by a pair of pretty girls, rather than only one pretty girl and a cantankerous old man who barely speaks their language."

Star shrugged in agreement and hurried toward the front of the shop. There she found Ofelia, her courageous hostess, and her aging father bustling around, making the shop ready for the crowd outside. The father and daughter hardly noticed her at first, as they snapped back and forth in their native tongue. Star had lived with them long enough to pick out a word here and there, but still didn't entirely understand what they were saying.

_If only they were grach, or birds, or alley cats,_ she thought with a smirk. _Then I would understand them perfectly._

Ofelia finally looked up and noticed the girl, and sighed with relief.

"Thank the stars you are finally here," she exclaimed. "I was about to go up there and get you, myself. Didn't you hear the bells, girl? In a few minutes, we will be overrun!"

"Of course I made it on time," Star answered mildly. "When have I ever let you down?"

Smiling her thanks, Ofelia shooed her father off to the kitchen, where he would be more useful. The old man was a skilled baker, and ran a reputable business; but he had a terrible temper, and dealt poorly with his customers. Ofelia had always been much better at managing the counter, taking orders, and sending their patrons off with a smile, while her father remained in the kitchen making their product.

"Now, then," Ofelia said thoughtfully, counting on her fingers. "The boxes are stocked; tea and _abrasha_ are brewed; money is counted; floors are swept… The second batch coming out of the oven just now, yes?"

"I believe so."

"And the third is being started?"

"Between the two of them, I think they'll have it knocked out in no time."

Ofelia sighed resolutely and straightened her hair and skirt. "Very well, then. It was a near thing this morning, but I think we can finally open for the day. Hang onto your skirt, girl, I'm opening the door."

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Meanwhile, not very far away, another crowd gathered in the house of the Garased family. Squad C-57 had just left their place on the city wall, as the Day Watch replaced the Night Watch. The ten men and women were tired from their long, uneventful night on the wall, and burning with hunger. They sprawled together on the couch, chairs and cushions around the upstairs common room, unstrapping their boots, stripping off their jackets, and tossing their caps carelessly on the floor.

"Twelve whole hours," complained Zhena, as she unstrapped a glowing ruby from her hand, "and not a peep from any direction. If only they would let us eat on duty. I'm starved half to death!"

"You always are," replied Zacheal, as he settled himself into his chair. "Not surprising, in a Fire spirit as feisty as yourself.

Zhena smirked back at him. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Zak huffed to himself, lying exhausted on the floor, because every other seat had been taken already. "She has a point, though," he said, taking off his spectacles and rubbing his eyes. "I'm starving, too. Zamiel, isn't there any food in this house of yours?"

Zamiel Garased, their clever captain, smiled in amusement. "A little, but not enough for so many people. I know where we can get some, though. Zan, Zaneth, if you are feeling up to it, skip down to the bakery and buy us some bread."

Even though they were also tired, his two younger brothers got up at once, happy to be of help. Zamiel dug in his pocket for some coins to give them.

"We can take a jug along for _abrasha_ , too, if you'd like," Zaneth suggested helpfully. But Zamiel looked over the coins in his hand and shook his head sadly.

"We've only one _arin_ and two _daz_ _i_ left until we are paid again," he answered. "We have to make it last. Ask Ofelia for two loaves of bread. If she is willing, she may slip us a few eggs and some meat; but we can't ask her to spare the expense on _abrasha_ today."

He handed the three coins to Zaneth, who nodded shortly and headed for the stairs. As Zan was moving to follow, Zamiel held him back for a moment.

"Try not to tarry too long," he warned with a smile. "We are all hungry, and your friends will be as fine as they always are."

Zan rolled his eyes, sarcastic as usual. "I still wouldn't call them all my friends," the boy grumbled, and hurried after his brother.

As soon as the boys were gone, the rest of the company groaned in disappointment.

"That is a pity," Zione sighed in her thick accent. "After a long night, _abrasha_ is just what I would like most."

While his friends mumbled in agreement, Zamiel bit back a sigh of his own. The dark, energizing brew called _abrasha_ was widely enjoyed in the city, but was usually expensive. He would have liked to treat his squad to it, but regretted that he simply couldn't afford it at the moment. He also knew that the rest of them would have chipped in for it, but their own pay was running just as short as his own. He firmly resolved to make up for it another time.

After a moment, Zane stretched his arms and yawned. "Not that this hasn't been an invigorating watch, my friends, but I'm afraid I must leave you early this morning," he said, rising from the couch. "My darling Pila wasn't well last night, and was sad to see my leave. My wife and other children have been missing me, as well, and I should hurry home to them."

"That's alright," Zak insisted, jumping up to take Zane's place on the couch. "Do say hello to them for me, and for us all. I'll keep your spot warm for you."

The rest of the squad laughed lightly over this, and Zane hurried to leave. Zamiel stopped his deputy before he could get very far, with regret in his face.

"If you family has been missing you lately, it is my fault," he said. "If you need some time to yourself, I understand completely."

Zane shook his head. "No, no, it's quite alright. It's all for a good cause. I would walk alone into the wastelands and leave them forever, if it meant my children could walk freely."

Zamiel laughed and let the man go on his way. "Of course, you would. You know how to do it now."

Zane smiled knowingly over his shoulder as he headed down the stairs. "My children are enjoying the tales, you know. We've been reading them on my off-nights, before they go to sleep. Perhaps we will read another chapter or two this morning, before I go to sleep, myself."

After he had left, Zamiel faced the company again and cleared his throat.

"Well, then, food is on the way, and we have a few minutes to ourselves," he announced. "Now is as good a time as any to speak of our present project. We all know what we are to do, am I correct?"

The rest of the squad nodded in agreement, and they all reached in their pockets to pull out folded pieces of paper he had given them the night before.

"Very good. Be sure to pass the message around Southside over the next few days. The people are smart enough to find its hidden meaning; but I doubt that any higher ranking guard will give it a second glance. It will seem like gibberish to them, as I have planned it. You have all cracked the code and seen the hidden meaning, I assume?"

The squad nodded in agreement.

"Excellent! I know that Zane understands all this as well, because he helped me form the message and encrypt it. Zan and Zaneth know it, also, and will pass it along to our allies at the bakery, who will spread the word in their turn."

On one of the cushions, Zirita sighed forlornly and shook her head. "Do you really think the Titan's child and her companions will help us here?" she asked. "They owe us nothing; and if what Zan says is true, that black-haired girl still hates us with a passion."

"Alanis can do little to help us in any case," Zamiel replied. "She has been hidden in the bakery's attic for months, and cannot go outside without causing a disaster. But Star and Forley are another deal completely. They have been enthusiastic about our cause so far, and have been of great help; and so has Leah, for that matter. Whatever Alanis has to say about it, they will understand the new assignment, and will carry it out. I trust in that."

Zirita pinned him with a dubious look. "Why should you trust them? You hardly even know the two of them. Zan knows them better than you do!"

"I am willing to trust them because they are willing to trust me. And Zeel has been willing, also."

A gasp of pleasant surprise came from a man on the couch. "You've spoken with the Moakel woman about it?" he asked excitedly.

"Naturally, Rivan," Zamiel agreed. The man's name was also Zach; and so Zamiel usually called him by his family name, to avoid confusion. "I meet with her at least once a week, and she has been just as helpful and trustworthy as her daughter in all things."

In one of the chairs, Zara raised her hand to interrupt. "How is she doing, anyway?" the woman asked. "Most of us have never even seen her before, but you seem to know her well by now."

Zamiel rubbed his neck, choosing his words carefully. "She is doing well," he answered. "She is settled and safe, and she wishes you all well, in spite of the trouble we've caused her."

Zara made a thoughtful face. "How have you managed to keep her location secret for so long? If I am right, you and Ofelia are the only ones who know where she is—and Star and her cousins are all right there, in the bakery! It seems impossible that you could deceive them for so long."

"I know," Zamiel agreed heavily. "In the afternoons after I have seen Zeel, having to face Star and the others is a terrible drain. But we have managed it. I still feel it is too dangerous to reunite them yet. Besides, we have kept the secret for this long. It is a good sign to me. We have all carried on for a long time in secrecy like this; if we can keep going in a similar manner, we may be able to pull this revolution off the way we hope."

Zara thought about this, and then furrowed her brow slightly. "That is all good and well. But don't you think you can trust the rest of us with it? Not even your brothers know where she is."

"I'm afraid I won't risk it," he answered, shaking his head. "Not because I don't trust you. Indeed, I would trust any one of you fine people with anything. It is a matter of your own safety, and our cause. No one person can know all the secrets behind this revolution; it puts that one person in far too much danger. If no one person knows all the secrets, they can't tell all the secrets. You do understand, don't you?"

Slowly, reluctantly, the rest of squad C-57 nodded in silent agreement.

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Elsewhere in Southside, Zeel was sitting alone by a window, reading a wonderful and troubling book by the light of a candle. She had been so absorbed in the achingly familiar words, she hadn't even noticed as the sun had begun to rise, slowly dimming the candle's flame. Only when the bells began to ring did she look up, startled by the noise. She glanced out the window and saw that dawn had already lit the city, and that people were already swarming the streets.

_How has that happened?_ She wondered, scolding herself. _It was night time when I started reading. Have I really been awake all night?_

She glanced at the thick book in her hand, and decided that it wasn't surprising. This was easily the fifth time she had read it since she had come to Bhlai house, where she now lived in hiding. It was a saga of five incredible tales, bound together in a single tome, and it had become increasingly popular over the last few months. It had been written and published anonymously, and its creator still hadn't come forward; but that hadn't stopped the people of Habaharan from devouring the story with a fever. It had quickly become the best-selling book the city had seen in decades. Even Queen Zadina herself had proclaimed the book a success.

"Clearly, the author has an active imagination," she had said of it recently. "And they have the right idea about our loathsome neighbors in the west—a fearsome, warlike people, to be certain. The way the author has spun together what little fact we have together with imagined fancies is nothing short of genius."

For some reason, Zadina was very impressed with the work, which had been simply and beautifully titled _Rowan of Rin_. She had gone on to repeatedly call the author to come forward, saying she wanted to reward them for their great work. That person still hadn't revealed their identity, and Zeel didn't blame them for it in the slightest. She wouldn't have wanted to be "rewarded" by the queen, either.

Zadina had little way of knowing that the so-called "imagined fancies" in the book were all completely real, as were all the characters, places, and events. The Zebak were isolated, and knew only what they were told of the world outside their own; but they recognized much of the history in the story, and had mostly guessed that the author had used that well-known history as a basis for a great fantasy. They were also widely impressed that the central hero was the Earth Titan, reimagined as the small, shy little boy they couldn't quite believe in; it had been a risky choice in casting, considering how the Dragon Queen despised him. The author had even brilliantly written a young Zeel Moakel into the tales, no doubt inspired by the woman's return and sudden disappearance months earlier.

Yes, the long, complicated story had caused an enormous sensation in Habaharan. Zeel was sure that there was a copy of the book in every house by now. Anyone in the city who could read well had read it, perhaps numerous times; anyone who couldn't read was listening to the stories being told aloud. It was almost all that some people could talk about. Zeel wasn't sure what it was about her husband's adventures, but it had caught like wildfire and set her people ablaze.

The book's sudden appearance and popularity excited her, too, though for a very different reason. These certainly weren't tales of pure fantasy—they were the very adventures she had lived through, herself, told exactly as she knew they had happened. The discussions and conversations weren't the product of a good storyteller's mind, either—she clearly remembered saying some of those lines herself once, word for word. What was more, the narrative voice and prose structure were instantly recognizable to her.

Star had written this. The printing was the work of a machine, typing exactly the same words over and over again; but Zeel knew for a fact that her daughter had chosen those words first. The acclaimed bestseller was the perfect final draft of the Book that Star had dreamed of for so long. And it had been published _here_ , in Habaharan.

That could mean only one thing, in Zeel's mind: there were Rinfolk in Habaharan, hiding somewhere in plain sight, looking for her. She couldn't guess who they might be; if her husband had been one of them, she felt that she wouldn't still be there. But the presence of the Book gave her a frightful suspicion that her daughter might be somewhere nearby. The thought of Star hiding alone in the city, searching desperately for her mother and not finding her, brought tears to her eyes.

Suddenly angry with herself, she placed her hand on her growing belly and rubbed her thumb against it, to keep from tearing at her hair. She was normally such a reasonable, sensible person, nearly impossible to move with simple emotions. In the past few weeks, though, that had changed very much.

_It has, indeed, been six months,_ she thought to herself, and to her unborn child. _I remember this from when I carried your sister. The mood swings were unbearable with her, and always made me feel so foolish afterward. I nearly broke your father's nose over a cup of tea, at one point. Remind me to tell you the story, when you're older._

She sighed heavily and returned to her reading. After spending the whole night at it, she was nearing the end, and believed there were only three chapters left before she finished it. Again. She relived the most terrifying and horrible parts of her life whenever she read the book, but loneliness and longing had driven her to do so several times. The past was solid and unchanging, something certain which she could hold onto for comfort. It was a way to still be with her family, husband, and friends, and to see the home she missed so much. It was a way to hear her daughter's voice again.

Just as she was turning the last few pages, an elderly woman came into the sitting room, carrying a loaded tea tray. Seeing Zeel by the window, nearly finished with the thick book, the woman shook her head and clicked her tongue.

"I was afraid I would find you here," she scolded, setting the tray on a low table. "Please tell me you slept last night."

"I'm afraid I forgot to, Thora. I was busy."

"Yes, with that blasted book again," Thora snapped, striding over to snatch it out of her hands. "Zeel, what have I told you? Reading this thing only ever upsets you, and my brother and I with you. This behavior is unhealthy, and I am beginning to worry over you."

"Thora, please, let me have it back," she pleaded, holding out her hand. "It's only three pages more."

"You know those three pages by heart by now, young lady. You lived those pages, for the stars' sake! No, I'm going to put this up where you can't find it. In the meantime, have tea and a few biscuits. Do something good for your health."

With that, Thora smoothed her skirts, as if her snapping had wrinkled them somehow, and walked away with the book tucked under her arm. Zeel sighed in defeat and did as she was told, pouring herself tea and vengefully spreading honey and butter on a biscuit.

_It's a pity. Those last pages are really my favorite part of that adventure, because that was when we got to go home. And Forley was born only a few weeks later. It was a busy, exciting time for those of us who stayed in the village. It was like a small adventure of its own, and we all changed a great deal in that time._

Her mood swung without warning from anger and annoyance to sadness. She wondered how much things had changed in Rin since she had been abducted. She wondered how her family was coping with her loss, if they were coping at all. Rowan was anxious on his best days, and Star had a temper of her own; she couldn't imagine what they had been doing with themselves all this time, or the range of emotions they had cycled through. And she wondered furiously for the thousandth time who among them had dared to come after her, and brought the Book along with them.

She prayed that Star wasn't one of them, but hoped at the same time that she was. Zeel missed her daughter terribly, and longed to see her again. She had thought for many weeks that she might never get that wish, but now it seemed very possible that it had been granted, after all. She just hadn't wanted to be reunited like this, trapped in a foreign land, hiding for her life, and soon to bring another child into the world. If Star really was in Habaharan, that reunion would be very awkward, as well as joyful.

A tapping at the window made her spin around in surprise. A pair of children were waiting just outside, trying to get her attention. When she saw them, they grinned at her and waved brightly. She stood up and opened the window, peering down at them in vague amusement.

"Good morning, miss Ferienne," said the taller of the two, a scruffy little girl with pale blue eyes like her own, who had called her by the false name she now went by. "Can we come in, please?"

Zeel leaned against the windowsill and shook her head at them. "Isn't it a little early to be getting into trouble?"

"It's never too early for trouble. Isn't that right, little brother?"

Beside and below her, the unmarked little boy shook his head and smiled up at his sister. They both looked inside, and immediately locked their gaze on the tray of tea and food. Their eyes were wide at the sight of it, and the boy even began to drool. Plainly, they hadn't eaten a proper meal in days. Unable to turn them away, Zeel stood aside for them.

"Come in, come in," she insisted with a sigh, somewhat used to the two of them doing this. "And what mess have you gotten yourselves into this time?"

"We'll tell you in a second," the girl answered, hoisting her brother up to clamber gracelessly through the window. Once he was inside, she vaulted over the sill with ease, and shoved the boy under the chair.

"Quick, close the window!" she instructed, and ducked down after her brother.

Zeel did as the girl had asked, or rather told her to do, and drew the curtain for good measure. She waited a moment, and soon heard several pairs of booted feet running past the house. But those people ran right past, and soon the sound faded away. Beneath the chair, the two children were giggling in triumph.

"We sure fooled them," the girl snickered, popping her head out from under the chair. "And look at what we got from them!"

In her hand was a pocket watch of brilliant gold on a sturdy chain, which she proudly showed off to Zeel.

"I bet we can get two whole _arin_ for the chain, alone," she continued as she climbed out of hiding and sat cross-legged on the floor to look at it properly. "We can eat like the king and queen we are for weeks on that. But I think I'm going to keep the watch. It will look good with the rest of my collection."

The girl's arms, neck, fingers, and ears were already adorned with the rest of her collection. These were all the other things she had stolen over the years, which she liked too much to trade for food or money. For some reason, she only ever wore gold jewelry on her right side, and silver on her left, and always made sure that her many rings and necklaces were alternated properly; she had said once that it was her way of keeping them organized. The child reminded Zeel faintly of Leah, in that way, though the two girls could hardly be less alike.

Zeel wasn't sure how the girl dared to walk around the city looking like that. Surely, with all those jewels over her ragged clothes and ripped stockings, she stuck out like a sore thumb. What guard could be clumsy enough not to notice her, let alone let her get close enough to pickpocket them?

"You know you shouldn't be stealing from people," she said in her most motherly voice. "If you sold your precious collection, you could buy your own house and eat for the rest of your life."

"Yeah, I guess so," the girl answered with a shrug. "But a kid's got to make a living somehow."

"You could work for Thora. She likes you, and would take you in in heartbeat."

"Sounds boring."

The boy came out and tugged on his sister's sleeve. "Sounds nice," he corrected plainly.

"Oh, come on, Zizi," she scoffed, hopping to her feet. "We don't have the patience to sit around and let grown-ups tell us what to do. You know that. Anyway, we only steal from the guards. They deserve it. And if that guy misses his watch so much, he shouldn't have left it hanging out of his pocket, where anyone could snatch it. He was practically asking for it to be taken. Now then, is there any cake on that tray? We're starving!"

Without waiting for Zeel's permission, she glanced over the tray and helped herself to a biscuit. She stuffed the whole thing into her mouth and munched on it loudly as she wandered idly around the room, leaving crumbs behind her.

Zeel shook her head again, at a loss for words. The two thieves usually ran to Bhlai house for shelter whenever they were in trouble. They had been doing so long before she had come there, because Thora found them charming and was willing to help them in small ways. It was the woman's own way of being defiant—by appearing to be a harmless old healer woman, when she actually went out of her way to harbor some of the city's most wanted fugitives.

For all their youth, the brother and sister were infamous in Southside, regularly tricking and robbing the local guards, and then escaping perfectly every time. They were smaller and faster than the guards, and knew all of Southside's best hiding places. What was more, the sister had very useful acrobatic skills, good for making clever getaways. The two were a menace, and there was even a handsome reward for their capture. But the people secretly applauded the havoc they caused, and so none of them ever raised a hand to help stop them. Not even the offer of a year's wages was enough to tempt them.

While the girl went on wandering around, admiring the nice things in the room, Zeel knelt as carefully as she could to offer Zizi the biscuit she had prepared for herself. Smiling his thanks, the boy took it and began to nimble at it slowly, appreciating its flavor, humming in satisfaction.

"Tasty," he said with his mouth full. Moved by his cuteness, Zeel patted his shaggy head.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you've gotten taller since last I saw you," she said. "And I heard something about your birthday, then. How old are you now?"

Zizi grinned proudly. "I'm seven!"

"Seven years old?" she exclaimed. "That is quite an age."

On the other side of the room, his sister scoffed. "That's nothing," she said. "I'm nine and one half. Miss Ferriene, where's Thora?"

"Somewhere in the house, hiding my book from me. She says I read it too much," Zeel answered sourly.

"Yeah, you do," Zizi agreed. "To us. Oh no, does that—does that mean you're not going to read to us some more today? It was just getting good! Rowan was just figuring everything out, and-and the Great Serpent was coming! I just—I just know know it was! Miss Ferriene, go tell Thora to bring—bring the book back!"

Zeel had to smile at his enthusiasm. "For you, perhaps she will give it back. She knows how much you've been enjoying the stories. And she knows that it keeps you both occupied and out of trouble for a few hours."

The girl wandered back to them, making a very thoughtful face as she brushed a few crumbs from her face.

"Miss Ferriene, I've simply got to ask you something. I mean, we all know that's what you call yourself—you've been Ferriene Kisao, ever since you came here. And we've always known that it's not your _real_ name."

"Yes, I know," Zeel answered with a sigh. "We've been through this many times."

"So why can't you just tell us what your name really is, already? Don't you think you can trust us by now?"

"I don't know if I would trust anyone who robs people for a living with that."

"Oh well," the child smiled. "I think I've already guessed it."

"Oh, have you now?"

"Sure. You're Zeel Moakel, aren't you?"

Zeel stared up at the girl, perfectly terrified. "What?" she demanded. "No, I'm not."

The girl laughed. "Of course you are. I've thought a lot about it, and I've finally got it all figured out. Don't you remember when you were brought here? People were so mad about it, they wanted to go marching and have riots—I know I remember it, 'cause I wanted to go marching with them, and was sad when they didn't do it. And then the very next day, here you were. You didn't have a family, or a home, all you had was a name that was _clearly_ made up. I knew that from the beginning. You're always complaining about the bells, too; you've said before that they shouldn't be needed, because of the sun or something."

"Anyone could make that observation."

"And you're always reading _Rowan of Rin_. You always have it with you."

"So does everyone else in Habaharan."

"And you read the stories to us so well. Like you really get them, you know? Like you know them, because you are the same exact Zeel!"

"Well, the stories are very well written."

"I mean, you look and sound just like I wanted her to. And you're always saying weird stuff about honey and cheese and the wind, like they do in the stories."

"I'm sure lots of people are doing the same, if they like the tales so much."

"Oh, stop doing that," the girl insisted, looking annoyed. "You _are_ the same Zeel from the book. I know that you are. It just makes too much sense, and you can't fool me anymore."

Zizi was gazing up at her in wonder, hoping that his sister's logic was all true. And the girl had pinned her with a look, daring her to make another excuse.

_So, I have been discovered, at last,_ Zeel thought grimly. _Who would have thought that a dirty little orphan would be the one to figure it out?_

"Very well," she snapped, narrowing her eyes. "You've found me, after all this time. What do you plan to do now? Hand me over to the guards?"

The girl was astounded for a split second, and then began to laugh again. "Hand you over? But you're Zeel Moakel! You're a hero! You're fabulous! And you're such a sweetie, too. I would never do that. Besides, you'd just escape again and come back to put a nasty Traveler's curse on me or something. That would be dumb."

She plopped herself down on the floor, propping her elbows on her knees and resting her chin in her hands.

"You know what's more? I've got some really great news for you. We met some pretty crazy kids a while back, right before we met you. They were with a guard, so I thought I'd try playing a trick on them. But they had magic. Really strong magic. It puzzled me, and Zizi, too; so we've spent a bunch of our time keeping an eye on them. I think they came from the west, just like you did."

Now it was Zeel's turn to pin the child with a look. "What do they look like?"

"Tall and dark-skinned and dark-haired, like the rest of us. They were dressed in fishing jackets then; but we saw right away that they had never fished a day in their lives. They're living and working at a bakery now, not at all far from here. The fancy lady with the golden eyes who comes to see you sometimes lives there, too."

"Ofelia's bakery?" Zeel demanded.

"Yeah, that's the lady. She always chases us away when we come around, so we've had to be real sneaky. And guess what? Not a lot of people would think to peek into their attic, but there are others hiding in there. Two ladies with pale skin, who are definitely not Zebak like us. We've seen them all talking and eating and arguing with each other, while we watch from a distance. Pretty amazing, right?"

Zeel stared at the girl in shock. She had known for a long time that there were Rinfolk hiding in the city. There was no other way for the Book to have come to Habaharan. But they had been only a few blocks away the whole time, sheltering in the attic above Ofelia's bakery. And she had seen Ofelia several times over the long months; she often came in place of her lover, Zamiel, who had promised to check in on her from time to time. Neither of them had ever mentioned this before.

Suddenly, her heart was filled with baffled anger. How could her supposed protectors have deceived her so?

"Do you know their names?" she asked.

"Well, the dark ones like to call themselves Mahna and Brahna; and they like to act like they're brother and sister. But Zizi and I know better. We've been sneaky and careful, and we've heard their real names. When they think no one is listening, they call themselves Star and Forley."

The child began to giggle devilishly. "You see? Star and Forley—those names are in the book, too! I guess you probably know them."

Zeel was so startled that she nearly toppled backwards. She cried out, somewhere between anguish and gladness. Star, she had suspected strongly; but knowing that Forley was there too was a painful surprise. How had such a loud, careless young man kept himself hidden for so long?

Seeing her reaction, the girl grinned at her awestruck little brother. "Oh yeah, she definitely knows them," she said with a wink.

"Are you sure of this?" Zeel gasped, struggling to regain her balance.

"Of course I'm sure."

"Are you _sure_?"

The girl saw from her tone of voice that there was no space for fooling around. Her sassy little grin became a frown. "I'm positive. We've been following them around for months, and we hear almost everything they have to say. They work in that bakery all day, then go clown around with some Night Watch people, and then go back to sleep at the bakery. Then they get up and do it all over again, nearly every day. We knew from the start that they had come here looking for you; but we hadn't been sure who _you_ were, exactly. I only thought of it last week, but once I did think of it, it made way too much sense."

Zeel gripped the girl by her shoulders, forcing her to look her in the eye.

"Star is my daughter," she whispered.

The child's pale eyes grew wide.

"Yes, my daughter. My only child, until very recently, and the author of the book. Oh, if only you knew who Forley really was…"

"Whoa," the girl breathed. "Now _that_ is something. Boy, you must miss her a whole lot, huh?"

Zeel bowed her head. "You have no idea."

The girl thought about this for a moment, and then jumped up and planted her fists on her hips.

"Well, then, we'll just have to fix that, won't we, Zizi?"

Her brother's eyes darted between the two of them, unsure of who was more amazing in this moment. "How?" he asked at last.

"By getting them back together, of course. Oh, we can pull it off easily. And I think I already know how to do it."

Both of them stared up at her in fascination.

"Oh, come on, you two. It won't even take long, and all we have to do is be our usual, sneaky selves. I'll tell you all about it… In just a minute. I hear Thora coming back, and I need cake before I can tell you anything properly."

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_Afterthoughts…_

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I have artfully avoided revealing this child's name for a glorious purpose in the next chapter. You may or may not have already guessed who these children are, but I'm not letting any spoilers out just yet. ;D

You may not have realized this, but you now know all the names of squad C-57. Here are some fun facts about them: Zak is the one who noticed Zeel's ring and necklace in the last book; like Leah, he doesn't let his glasses hold him back in any way. Zione is a Zebak version of Bronden in every way, because that was obviously something the world needed; she is also based largely on Lindsey Stirling, having bard magic and using the power of music to knock things over, and also her accent is very Russian. The "zh" in Zhena's name is pronounced as "j", and so her name is basically Jane with an awesome twist. Zirita frequently goes by Rita, which you may also recognize from the last book, and she has a fantastic set of issues that will be dealt with later. The brothers Garased, you already know fairly well. :P

Shall we explain some italicized words real quick? _Arin_ and _daz_ _i_ are two of four monetary denominations the Zebak use. _Arin_ is a gold coin, worth about 20 US dollars; _yoon_ is a silver coin worth about 10; _dazi_ is a copper coin worth 5; and _riva_ is an iron coin worth 1. They are named after the metals they are made of, in that language Ofelia and her father speak. Yes, I worked all this out one evening, because according to my notes on it, I have no self-control. _Arin_ is the only one you have to be aware of, though. It is important later. ;D

_Abrasha_ is coffee, in case it wasn't obvious. _Sha_ seems to be the verb  to drink, and so as a suffix it denotes a beverage. You will see this later in the series. As this culture draws largely from India and the middle east, I like to think of the Zebak enjoying drip coffee as well as Turkish-style coffee, which you should look up and try sometime. With thrice the caffeine of an espresso shot, and also the unique flavor of cardamom, I highly recommend it.

 


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